Panel to look into ‘rationale’ behind Delhi Metro tariff hike

New Delhi: The Delhi Assembly, on Tuesday, passed a resolution to form a nine-member committee to look into the “rationale” behind the Metro fare hike as well as the financial health of the DMRC. The resolution was passed by a voice vote following a discussion on a calling attention motion on Metro fare hike which was vociferously opposed by the ruling AAP MLAs.

The motion for the constitution of the committee was moved by AAP legislator Somnath Bharti. The members of the committee will be nominated by the Assembly Speaker, Ram Niwas Goel.

“This House agrees to constitute a nine-member committee to be nominated by the Speaker to look into the rationale behind the hike in tariff by the DMRC, the financial health of the DMRC, and other related issues. The Speaker shall also determine the specific terms and conditions for the committee,” the resolution stated.

During the discussion, Opposition BJP-SAD MLA Manjinder Singh Sirsa termed the fare hike as “sad” and charged the Delhi government of not taking any timely step to prevent it.

In his reply on the discussion, Delhi transport minister Kailash Gahlot alleged that the  DMRC Board meeting on Monday took the decision to implement the fare hike in an “undemocratic manner” where the voice of the elected Delhi government was “sidelined.”