Roll back Metro fare hike: CM asks Centre
NEW DELHI: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday urged the BJP-led central government to roll back the Delhi Metro fare hike, after a report revealed that the Metro has been losing up to five lakh daily commuters as compared to last year, the reason for which could be the hike.
The report contained assessment of data obtained through an RTI application.
"At least now they should roll back metro fare hike in the interest of Delhiites," said the Chief Minister on Friday.
The report mentioned by Kejriwal noted the this year, Delhi Metro has accounted for a loss of almost up to five lakh commuters, in terms of daily riders in comparison to last year.
People have switched from public to private transport due to a hike in the fare around, which was implemented around eight months ago.
Even during the peak summer months of March, April and May, many commuters chose to avoid the Metro and took their own vehicles.
In fact, there was a dip of 17 per cent in riders, as compared to the same period in 2017, as per the data obtained through an RTI application.
The ridership was expected to touch the 30 lakh mark by this time, as estimated by the Delhi Metro, which is also part of Delhi government's outcome budget.
Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot has held the Centre responsible for the decline in ridership. He told Millennium Post, "At a time when some cities around the world are making public transport totally free, DMRC (Delhi Metro Rail Corporation) can still make amends and reduce its fares to gain ridership."
The Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi government, as well as public transport experts, were not in favour of the 100 per cent Metro fare hike brought about last year. The hike was implemented by the DMRC on the Centre's insistence.
Delhi Metro witnessed a total of around 22 lakh commuters travelling daily on its five corridors –Yellow, Blue, Red, Green and Violet – in the months of March and April.
In May, the number was around 22.5 lakh, while last year in the months of March, April and May, the number of metro commuters was close to 27 lakh every month.
