# CAG blames Bengaluru Metro miss on failed bus, road links

2026-08-10T23:46:25+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 1 independent outlet

A Comptroller and Auditor General report tabled in Parliament on Monday says Bengaluru Metro did not hit projected ridership because it was never integrated with the city bus operator BMTC. Against a target of 19.49 lakh daily riders, the highest average was just 5.89 lakh in August 2022. BMTC’s own daily footfall fell from 51.30 lakh in 2014-15 to 27.49 lakh in 2022-23, and the combined Metro-plus-bus count stayed below the old bus-only number, meaning the Metro failed to pull private vehicle users. Separately, BMRCL is likely to drop plans for a 37 km double-decker flyover along the Orange Line and may build only 11 km of shorter stretches at key junctions. Engineering consultancy RITES warned that extra road capacity could encourage more private vehicles, defeating the Metro's purpose. The double-decker option also reduces the economic rate of return below the 14% benchmark, down from 17% for a Metro-only project.

## Coverage

- deccanherald.com <https://www.deccanherald.com/india/karnataka/bengaluru/cag-cites-bengaluru-metro-bmtc-non-integration-for-missed-ridership-4106526>
- timesofindia.indiatimes.com <https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/bengaluru-metro-may-shrink-orange-line-double-decker-length-from-37km-to-11km/articleshow/133131952.cms>

Tags: Bengaluru Metro, BMTC, CAG, public transport, urban infrastructure
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