Airport Metro slows down, but fares go up
24 Jan 2013 6:34 AM IST
Ironic it may sound, but Reliance Infrastructure-led Delhi Airport Metro Express has increased fares on the high-speed corridor at a time when the train speed has been drastically reduced to 50 km per hour. This was done after the inspection by Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) R K Kardam.
The 50 per cent fare hike came into effect on Wednesday just a day after commercial operations on the 23-km corridor resumed after a gap of six months.
From Wednesday, the minimum fare of Rs 20 will be Rs 30 and the maximum is Rs 150 from earlier Rs 100.
The fare hike came as a rude shock for commuters who were not that happy travelling at a reduced speed on the high-speed corridor. Before the line was shut down in July last year, trains were run at a speed of 105 km per hour.
According to a commuter, ‘I was happy when I heard that Airport Express is back on track but I did not expect a fare hike of 50 percent which is quite shocking for us who need to commute regularly via this’.
A Reliance Infra spokesman said fares in the Airport line are as mandated in the Concession Agreement of DMRC and one cannot deviate from the same.
‘Most of the fares have remained the same. The most popular product – monthly 60/45 journey pass – has been maintained at the same level. In fact, some fares have been reduced by introducing new products like return journey token and Sunday/holiday token,’ the spokesperson said.
‘There is a provision in the Concession Agreement for increasing the fares two years after completion of operations,’ he said.
‘Overall it is in our interest to attract more and more passengers and we will continue to do so by designing the balanced fare structure within the provisions of the Concession Agreement,’ the spokesperson said.
However, the line will complete two years of operation only in February-end.
LIMITED SERVICES ON R-DAY
Delhi Metro services will be partially curtailed during the Republic Day parade on 26 January and the Beating Retreat ceremony on 29 January, a Delhi Metro official said. Train schedules of Metro Line Two from HUDA City Centre to Jahangirpuri, Line Three from Dwarka Sector 21 to Noida City Centre, Line Four from Vaishali to Yamuna Bank, and Line Six from Central Secretariat to Badarpur will be partially shut in view of extra security on these two days. On Republic Day, services at nine Metro stations will be curtailed from 6 am to 12.30 pm — Rajiv Chowk, Patel Chowk, Central Secretariat, Mandi House, Udyog Bhawan, Race Course, Pragati Maidan, Barakhamba Road and Khan Market stations. These Metro stations either fall on the path of the Republic Day Parade or are located close to it. However, Metro services on Line Three from Dwarka Sector 21 to Noida City Centre and Line Four from Vaishali to Yamuna Bank will run in three short loops on these corridors. ‘Trains on lines three and four will be operated in short loops from Noida City Centre to Indraprastha, Vaishali to Yamuna Bank and Dwarka Sector 21 to Rajiv Chowk. Passenger services will be available up to RK Ashram Marg,’ a Delhi Metro statement said. ‘As for Line Six (Central Secretariat to Badarpur), passenger services will be available from Badarpur to Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium,’ the statement added. However, passengers can use the interchange facility at Rajiv Chowk for lines two and three and Central Secretariat for lines two and six. Operations will be normal on all lines after the parade is over. Metro trains will not be available from HUDA City Centre to Jahangirpuri and Central Secretariat to Badarpur from 3 to 6.30pm on January 29 when the Beating Retreat ceremoney is held in Vijay Chowk at the foot of the Raisina Hill, opposite Rashtrapati Bhavan. Rajiv Chowk, Patel Chowk, Udyog Bhawan, Race Course Roa and Khan Market stations will be closed during this period.
METRO TO BE EXTENDED TO BAHADURGARH
The Haryana government will soon sign an agreement with Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Limited (DMRC) for extension of Delhi Metro from Mundka to Bahadurgarh on the outskirts of the national capital. The signing of the agreement between the Haryana government and the DMRC will enable the Delhi Metro to start construction of the project till Bahadurgarh in Jhajjar district of Haryana. This was decided on Wednesday at a meeting of the state cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, which authorised the Principal Secretary, Town and Country Planning Department, to sign the agreement. An official spokesman said the total cost of the project will be Rs 1,991 crore, of which Haryana’s share will be Rs 787.96 crore. The extension of the Delhi Metro was approved by the state cabinet in July last year. The cabinet also approved the amendment in Haryana Motor Vehicles Rules, 1993 to simplify the procedure to obtain authorisation for setting up of Pollution Check Centres under which the district regional transport authority would be empowered to issue the authorisation.
The 50 per cent fare hike came into effect on Wednesday just a day after commercial operations on the 23-km corridor resumed after a gap of six months.
From Wednesday, the minimum fare of Rs 20 will be Rs 30 and the maximum is Rs 150 from earlier Rs 100.
The fare hike came as a rude shock for commuters who were not that happy travelling at a reduced speed on the high-speed corridor. Before the line was shut down in July last year, trains were run at a speed of 105 km per hour.
According to a commuter, ‘I was happy when I heard that Airport Express is back on track but I did not expect a fare hike of 50 percent which is quite shocking for us who need to commute regularly via this’.
A Reliance Infra spokesman said fares in the Airport line are as mandated in the Concession Agreement of DMRC and one cannot deviate from the same.
‘Most of the fares have remained the same. The most popular product – monthly 60/45 journey pass – has been maintained at the same level. In fact, some fares have been reduced by introducing new products like return journey token and Sunday/holiday token,’ the spokesperson said.
‘There is a provision in the Concession Agreement for increasing the fares two years after completion of operations,’ he said.
‘Overall it is in our interest to attract more and more passengers and we will continue to do so by designing the balanced fare structure within the provisions of the Concession Agreement,’ the spokesperson said.
However, the line will complete two years of operation only in February-end.
LIMITED SERVICES ON R-DAY
Delhi Metro services will be partially curtailed during the Republic Day parade on 26 January and the Beating Retreat ceremony on 29 January, a Delhi Metro official said. Train schedules of Metro Line Two from HUDA City Centre to Jahangirpuri, Line Three from Dwarka Sector 21 to Noida City Centre, Line Four from Vaishali to Yamuna Bank, and Line Six from Central Secretariat to Badarpur will be partially shut in view of extra security on these two days. On Republic Day, services at nine Metro stations will be curtailed from 6 am to 12.30 pm — Rajiv Chowk, Patel Chowk, Central Secretariat, Mandi House, Udyog Bhawan, Race Course, Pragati Maidan, Barakhamba Road and Khan Market stations. These Metro stations either fall on the path of the Republic Day Parade or are located close to it. However, Metro services on Line Three from Dwarka Sector 21 to Noida City Centre and Line Four from Vaishali to Yamuna Bank will run in three short loops on these corridors. ‘Trains on lines three and four will be operated in short loops from Noida City Centre to Indraprastha, Vaishali to Yamuna Bank and Dwarka Sector 21 to Rajiv Chowk. Passenger services will be available up to RK Ashram Marg,’ a Delhi Metro statement said. ‘As for Line Six (Central Secretariat to Badarpur), passenger services will be available from Badarpur to Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium,’ the statement added. However, passengers can use the interchange facility at Rajiv Chowk for lines two and three and Central Secretariat for lines two and six. Operations will be normal on all lines after the parade is over. Metro trains will not be available from HUDA City Centre to Jahangirpuri and Central Secretariat to Badarpur from 3 to 6.30pm on January 29 when the Beating Retreat ceremoney is held in Vijay Chowk at the foot of the Raisina Hill, opposite Rashtrapati Bhavan. Rajiv Chowk, Patel Chowk, Udyog Bhawan, Race Course Roa and Khan Market stations will be closed during this period.
METRO TO BE EXTENDED TO BAHADURGARH
The Haryana government will soon sign an agreement with Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Limited (DMRC) for extension of Delhi Metro from Mundka to Bahadurgarh on the outskirts of the national capital. The signing of the agreement between the Haryana government and the DMRC will enable the Delhi Metro to start construction of the project till Bahadurgarh in Jhajjar district of Haryana. This was decided on Wednesday at a meeting of the state cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, which authorised the Principal Secretary, Town and Country Planning Department, to sign the agreement. An official spokesman said the total cost of the project will be Rs 1,991 crore, of which Haryana’s share will be Rs 787.96 crore. The extension of the Delhi Metro was approved by the state cabinet in July last year. The cabinet also approved the amendment in Haryana Motor Vehicles Rules, 1993 to simplify the procedure to obtain authorisation for setting up of Pollution Check Centres under which the district regional transport authority would be empowered to issue the authorisation.
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