BENGALURU(Metro Rail News): Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited has sharply increased its non-fare revenue. Its Earnings rose from Rs 54 crore in 2024-25 to Rs 145 crore in 2025-26. This strong jump shows how the metro is building income beyond ticket sales. While talking to The Hindu, a senior official said that the growth came from better use of stations, trains and metro spaces for commercial activities.
How the revenue grew
BMRCL started earning non-fare revenue back in 2012-13. And in recent years, the scale has expanded a lot. Today, income comes from many sources,
- Shops and kiosks inside stations
- Advertisement inside and outside the metro premises
- Branding on trains
- Parking facilities
- EV charging and battery swapping stations
Public spaces like Rangoli Metro Art Centre and Bengaluru Santhe have also increased footfall. This has added indirect revenue. Officials say that property development along metro corridors is also bringing in money.
Advertising emerges as a key factor
Advertising played a huge role in this revenue. It accounts for about 13% to 14% revenue. The ad network now covers most of the metro system:
- Purple Line: 37 stations and 33 trains carry interior ads. Among these 33 trains, 10 trains have full wraps for advertising.
- Green Line: 32 stations and 24 trains carry interior ads while 10 trains have full wrap for ads.
Overall, 68 stations and 57 trains display ads inside. Around 20 trains carry full body advertisements. In June 2025, BMRCL introduced full train wraps for the first time. It signed two long-term deals worth Rs 1.26 crore and Rs 81.49 lakh.
Push for financial stability
The focus on non-fare revenue follows advice from the Fare Fixation Committee (FFC). The panel said metro systems need higher non-ticket income in its 2025 report. In 2023-24, BMRCL earned Rs 573.91 crore from ticket sales. But income from property was only Rs 50.05 crore, which is just about 8.72% of its ticket earnings.
Higher non-fare revenue gives BMRCL more financial strength. It reduces pressure on ticket prices and supports future expansion. As non-ticket income grows, Bengaluru Metro is moving towards a more stable and self-sustaining model.
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