Can't put metro rail fare on hold: Centre to Delhi govt

The Centre has informed the Delhi government that the Metro Act does not allow it to put on hold the hike in Delhi metro fares, which will be effective from October 10.

Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri, in a letter to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday, said that a fresh committee to fix fares could be considered if the Delhi government agrees to provide over Rs 3,000 crore every year to the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC).

Puri suggested such a provision as the operational loss is the responsibility of the state government, according to the guidelines.

Earlier, Kejriwal had written to the housing and urban affairs ministry to issue a direction to DMRC to put on hold the proposed hike in fares, as recommended by the 4th Fare Fixation Committee (FFC).

In response, the Union minitser, in his letter on Friday, said, “Your suggestion that this ministry direct that the fare increase be kept on hold overlooks the fact that the central government does not have any such authority. Tampering with the recommendations of the FFC is legally untenable.”

“Neither the central government nor the state government, or even the board of the company, has legal power to change the recommendations made by the FFC,” Puri’s letter read.

The last revision of fares were undertaken in 2009.