Metro fares to be dearer from today

New Delhi: Rejecting the AAP government’s vociferous objection to the proposed fare hike, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) on Monday decided to go ahead with the fare revision, effective Tuesday. The decision came hours after the Delhi Assembly passed a resolution against the second Delhi Metro fare hike in a year.

At an emergency meeting, the board members discussed chief minister Kejriwal’s proposal, but decided to go ahead with recommendations of Fare Fixation Committee (FCC). With the new fare structure, the maximum fare will go up to Rs 60.

Nominee directors of the Delhi government on the DMRC’s board conveyed that the CM wanted the postponement of the fare hike and formation of a new FFC. The Board was informed that under Section 37 of the Metro Railways (Operation and Maintenance) Act, 2002, recommendations of the FFC are binding on Metro rail authorities.

Subsequently, the board noted that it does not have the authority to consider/defer implementation of the recommendations of the FFC.

Mr Kejriwal had written to the Housing and Urban Affairs (HUA) Ministry to issue a direction to Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to put on hold the proposed hike in fares, as recommended by 4th Fare Fixation Committee.