Metro fare hike: Minister directs calling of DMRC officials' meet

As the AAP-led Delhi government continues to oppose the proposed Metro fare hike, Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot on Thursday asked Chief Secretary M.M. Kutty to call a meeting of all Delhi government-nominated Directors on the DMRC Board.

Gahlot asked Kutty, one of the five government-nominated Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) Directors, to call the meeting to direct these officials to "put up Delhi government stand against the proposed hike".

The Minister also asked Kutty to request DMRC Chairman to call a Board meeting before October 9, a day before the proposed hike is to be enforced, and a decision be taken to defer the fare hike.

The Delhi government has locked horns with the DMRC over the proposed hike, the second this year. In May, the minimum fare went up from Rs 8 to Rs 10 and the maximum from Rs 30 to Rs 50.

Last week, Kejriwal had asked Gahlot to find within a week a way to stop the "anti-people" fare hike.

Gahlot met DMRC Managing Director Mangu Singh and asked for putting on hold the proposed hike till the Delhi government completed an inquiry on the matter.

On Friday, the AAP warned of protest if the DMRC remained adamant on increasing fares.

The DMRC defended its decision by saying its input costs have gone up over the years, and the increase is at par with Metro rails in other cities.

On Saturday, Kejriwal urged Union Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Puri to direct the DMRC to withhold the hike and on Sunday called for an independent audit of DMRC's accounts.

The Delhi assembly will meet on Monday to discuss the proposed hike and pass a resolution against it.

--IANS

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