BMTC clarifies no hike in monthly pass fare, introduces extended area passes
The Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) has clarified that there has been no increase in the fare of its ordinary monthly bus pass, even as
The Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) has clarified that there has been no increase in the fare of its ordinary monthly bus pass, even as it introduced new passes for commuters travelling beyond the city’s expanded operational limits In a press release issued on Monday, BMTC stated that the Karnataka government has progressively extended its jurisdiction in response to growing transport needs. Initially limited to about 20 km beyond city limits, the operational area was expanded to 25 km in 2014 and further extended up to 40 km beyond the limits of the Greater Bengaluru Authority in January 2026.
“With this expansion, BMTC services now cover distances of up to 65–70 km from the city centre, connecting key surrounding towns such as Kanakapura, Ramanagara, Channapatna, Magadi, Chikkaballapura and Malur. The move has significantly improved connectivity for thousands of daily commuters travelling between Bengaluru and nearby districts,” the release stated. To streamline operations, BMTC has categorised its service area into two zones: the “Limited Area” covering up to 40 km, and the “Extended Area” beyond that.
While all existing passes remain valid within the Limited Area without any change in fare, the corporation has introduced “Ordinary Extended Area” daily, weekly and monthly passes from June 2, 2026, specifically for longer-distance routes. BMTC data show that between June 2 and June 21, over 60,000 ordinary monthly passes were sold, compared with a relatively small number of extended-area passes. The corporation emphasised that this clearly indicates continued reliance on the existing monthly pass and reiterated that its fare remains unchanged.
Dismissing reports of a fare hike as “factually incorrect”, BMTC stated that the new extended passes are intended solely for the convenience of passengers travelling longer distances and do not impose any additional financial burden on those commuting within the city limits.
The BriefWire