Metro fare hike: Kejriwal calls for board meeting, MLAS submit memo
NEW DELHI: As the ruling Aam Aadmi Party continued efforts to stall a proposed hike in Metro fares, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday directed his government’s representatives on the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) board to call for an emergency meeting, according to a government statement.
The decision came hours after a delegation of AAP MLAS asked DMRC to revoke the fare hike which will be effective from October 10. The decision was taken in a meeting convened by the CM and attended by the deputy CM, transport minister, chief secretary and other senior officials, the statement said.
The proposed fare hike has led to a war of words between the Delhi government and the DMRC with the government call- ing the hike ‘unjustified’ and DMRC terming it ‘necessary’.
In May, the minimum Metro fare was raised from Rs 8 to Rs 10 and the maximum from Rs 30 to Rs 50. Now, the maximum fare will go up from Rs 50 to Rs 60.
Earlier in the day, a delega- tion of three AAP MLAS called on Vikas Kumar, executive director, (operational), DMRC at the corporation’s office and handed over a memorandum addressed to DMRC managing director, Mangu Singh. It reiterated that the hike, the second in five months, was ‘unjustified’ and a ‘violation’ of the law that governs the functioning of the eco-friendly mode of transport.
The ruling party, however, is yet to announce the date of its protest, which it had planned against the hike.
“Delhi Metro is a lifeline for nearly thirty lakh daily commuters and its DMRC’S records show that the ridership dipped after the previous hike was implemented in May this year. We, therefore, appeal to the DMRC to reverse its decision, which will adversely affect the common man in Delhi, apart from reducing Metro’s ridership,” the memorandum said.
“We were told the issue would be taken up for consideration in next board meeting of DMRC,” said AAP MLA from Burari, Sanjeev Jha who led the delegation.
DMRC officials, however, refused to comment on the meeting.