AAP government missed 14 out of 15 Delhi metro board meetings: Yogendra Yadav

AAP has been leading protests over hike in metro fares

For a party that has been vehemently protesting the hike in Delhi metro fares, representatives of the Aam Aadmi Party attended just one out of 15 meetings held by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) Board. Swaraj India leader Yogendra Yadav alleged that Arvind Kejriwal's party missed 14 of the 15 meetings in the last two years.

"Delhi government which has a 50 per cent stake in Delhi Metro, didn't attend meetings of committees related to DMRC's functioning in the last two years. Now they are misleading the people of Delhi," Yogendra Yadav said. He quoted the DMRC's annual financial report for the year 2015-16 and 2016-17. Swaraj India said that Delhi government officials, who are members of various committees, were absent in the meetings- a place where their presence could have made differences if the government intended for them. Delhi government officials are members of committees on audit, operations and maintenance, and property development.

AAP has been protesting against the hike in metro fares since Monday. The party had even demanded that the metro functioning be handed over to them so they can run it without a price hike. "What stopped the government from opposing the fare hike when the chief secretary is a member of the fare fixation committee? The annual report shows whether their concerns are genuine or not," said Anupam, Swaraj India's spokesperson, and Delhi unit chief.

According to the DMRC annual reports shared by Yadav's party, Delhi metro board's audit committee meetings were held on May 24, 2016, July 22, 2016, September 16, 2016, and January 16, 2017. Delhi government representatives did not attend a single meeting. Sanjeev Nandan Sahai, Delhi government's principal secretary (finance) missed property development committee, procurement committee meetings a miss but attended one audit committee meeting. Vikram Dev Dutt, the then transport secretary gave two meetings a miss while Gitanjali Gupta Kundra, principal secretary (transport), missed the maintenance committee meeting.

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