AAP lawmakers meet DMRC chief, urge him to not hike Metro fare

New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party lawmakers on Tuesday urged the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation to refrain from increasing the travel fare, saying do so would violate the law as the DMRC cannot hike the tariff twice within six months.

A delegation of AAP legislators met DMRC Managing Director Mangu Singh and said the corporation should find other means to increase its revenue.

The party threatened to stage protests if the DMRC went ahead with its decision to hike the fare.

According to the 2002 Delhi Metro Railway Act, recommendations made by the fare fixation committee have to be binding on the metro administration.

The Delhi government on June 30 conveyed its opposition to the proposed fare increase to the fare fixation committee.

The legislators said the proposed hike in fare was being considered without taking into account the views of the elected government of Delhi and the elected representatives.

"What is disturbing is that the DMRC is violating the law by which it was set up in 2002, through its wrong decision of hiking fare twice within six months," they said in a memorandum to the DMRC.

If the proposed hike comes into effect, the fare will go up by a maximum of Rs 10.

The existing structure is: for travel up to 2 kilometres the DMRC would charge Rs 10. Two-five kilometres costs Rs 15. Five-12 kilometres costs Rs 20, 12-21 kilometres - Rs 30, 21-32 kilometres - Rs 40 and beyond 32 kms Rs 50 is charged.

From October 10, the charge for travelling up to two kilometres would remain the same. But the tariff structure for travel beyond that distance would change.

For travel between two and five kilometres, the tariff would increase by Rs 5, and it will cost Rs 20. The subsequent slabs would go up by Rs 10 each, meaning the maximum fare will be Rs 60.

The AAP delegation comprised Sanjeev Jha MLA from Burari, Jarnail Singh from Tilak Nagar, and Manoj Kumar from Kondli.