Pay Rs 3,000 crores for 5 years to avoid Metro fare hike: Centre tells AAP govt

The Centre on Saturday told Arvind Kejriwal government that the Delhi Metro fare hike can't be put on hold and that setting up a fresh Fare Fixation Committee (FFC) could be considered if the Delhi government agrees to give over Rs 3,000 crore every year to Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC).

Union Minister Hardip Singh Puri also sent a letter to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal that has ruled out any rollback on the fare hike.

The response came to the Delhi Chief Minister after detailed examination of the issues raised and suggestions made by Kejriwal regarding the fare hike in consultations with the DMRC.

The Union minister said his administration was not authorised to stop the fare hike but could consider a suspension if the Delhi government pitches in with funds.

"In case the State Government agrees to provide grants-in-aid of nearly Rs 3,000 crore per annum to DMRC, then another FFC may be constituted, which may also examine the financial viability of DMRC," Puri wrote, referring to the fare fixation committee, a panel that suggested the hike which is now in contention.

Kejriwal in his letter desired the central government to give direction to DMRC to put on hold the proposed hike in fares to be effective from the tenth of this month, as recommended by the Fourth Fare Fixation Committee.

The Delhi Metro, used by 27 lakh people every day in the national capital region that includes parts of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

The Metro fare hike, expected to be implemented by DMRC next week, will hike the minimum ticket price to Rs 30, whereas, the maximum fare would go as high as Rs 50. For travelling more than 2 km, the passenger's ticket price is expected to increase by Rs 5-10.

The Delhi government led by Aam Aadmi Party is yet to respond to Puri's letter.

OneIndia News (with agency inputs)