Delhi Metro raises fares by up to 100%, hike comes after 7 yrs

Starting Wednesday, a metro ride in Delhi will cost you nearly double the amount it currently does, with the authorities announcing a steep, two-phase hike in passenger fares today.
The new minimum fare will be Rs 10, up from Rs 8, while the maximum would be Rs 50 till September, and Rs 60 from October, as against the existing Rs 30, metro chief spokesperson Anuj Dayal told a press conference.
There will be a total of six fare slabs as against the existing 15. The last hike was effected in 2009.
The impact of the rise on daily commuting will be deep. For example, taking the metro from Chhattarpur or Mayur Vihar Phase I stations, on Yellow and Blue Line respectively, to Rajiv Chowk station now costs Rs 19 and Rs 16 respectively.

From May 10, making the same journeys would cost you Rs 30. It would rise further to Rs 40 from October 1, when the second phase of the hike will be rolled out.
Dayal said on Sundays and national holidays (January 26, August 15 and October 2), there would be a discount of around Rs 10 across slabs.

The new fare structure, Monday through Saturday, is: up to 2 kms -- Rs 10, 2 to 5 kms -- Rs 15, 5 to 12 kms -- Rs 20, 12 to 21 kms -- Rs 30, 21 to 32 kms -- Rs 40, and for journeys of over 32 kms Rs 50.

From October 1, it would be: Rs 10, Rs 20, Rs 30, Rs 40, Rs 50 and Rs 60 for the corresponding slabs.
The average distance travelled by commuters is around 15 KM, metro revenue director K K Saberwal said.
The new fare structure has another feature: 10 per cent discount on travelling during off-peak hours, that is from 6AM to 8AM, 12PM to 5PM and 9PM onwards. For those using smart cards, the discount will over and above the 10 per cent they already enjoy.
The Delhi government opposed the move, saying it would have "adverse" impact on certain sections like students and may also force people to opt for private vehicles.

"The Delhi government had told DMRC increase in fares will force commuters to shift to personal vehicles and in fact fares should be reduced. The government in its opinion had told DMRC that women and students would be adversely affected in case of a fare hike," a government spokesperson said.
However, Saberwal said the hike was necessitated on account of rising operating ratio, or expenditure for every Rs 100 income. It currently stands at around Rs 70, he said.
Annually, metro also shells out an average Rs 500 crore interest on loans it has taken from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The principal amount comes to around another Rs 600-800 crore, Saberwal said.

The hike was in tune with the recommendations of a three- member Fare Fixation Committee, which were accepted by the DMRC board headed by Union Urban Development Secretary Rajib Gauba.
The DMRC had last revised the fares in 2009.
The new fares would be applicable across five corridors -- Blue, Yellow, Red, Green and Violet -- of the metro that crisscrosses the national capital, with the total network length standing at around 213 km currently.
There shall be no change in the fares of Airport Express Line (Orange Line).
When metro had started operations on December 25, 2002, the minimum fare was Rs 4 and maximum was Rs 8.