HC questions DMRC on lack of free water, toilet facilities

NEW DELHI: Based on a commuter’s plea, the Delhi High court pulled Delhi Metro for not providing free basic services like drinking water and sanitation to travellers inside the metro premises.

“What services are you giving? Where there is no competition, there is no service. If you get a competitor, you will give all the facilities. Why are you charging even Rs 1? You should give drinking water for free,” Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva said on Monday.

When the counsel for Delhi Metro Rail Corporation submitted that they were giving water at the stations at a nominal charge of Rs 1 per glass and also adding better services each day, the court rapped the Corporation saying it was behaving like this as it had no competition.

The court was hearing a plea filed by Kush Kalra, a commuter, complaining that Delhi Metro does not provide toilets, drinking water and dustbin facilities at any of the stations here.

The court granted time to the petitioner to file an additional affidavit and listed the matter for August 21.

During the hearing, advocate Kush Sharma, appearing for the petitioner, argued that DMRC was charging Rs 1 per glass of water, whereas it should be provided free.

The DMRC was even charging commuters for using the toilets and had removed dustbins from the stations, he said.

To this, the DMRC counsel said they have been adding better facilities for commuters dayby-day, and only taking nominal charges for their services.

Earlier, the court had directed DMRC to indicate on affidavit how many toilet and drinking water facilities were available at stations and whether amenities were accessible.