Is Delhi Metro Fare Hike Justified?
On May 4, 28 lakh people used the services of the Delhi Metro till 8pm. The following Thursday, May 11, this number reduced by a lakh. An obviously reason for this fall in number of passengers is the 66 per cent hike in Metro fares that came into effect on May 10.
From the earlier 15, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has now cut the fare slabs to six and the move will hit the hardest those passengers who travel long distance using the Metro network. Now, passengers travelling a distance of over 32 kilometres (kms) will have to spend Rs 22 more. According to the DMRC, 11 per cent of the total passengers travel that distance. Passengers travelling between 21 kms and 32 kms will have to pay Rs 18 more. Data show 17 per cent passengers travel in this segment.
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Most of the passengers travel between 12 km and 21 km and they will now pay Rs 12 extra for the journey. This segment forms 62 per cent of the passenger base for the DMRC. The burden on those travelling short distances will also increase from October. Their Metro ride will get costlier as the DMRC plans to increase fares by a further Rs 10 for those travelling beyond five kms from October.
Although the hike in fares is likely to bring down the ridership of the network for the time being, the move is well justified considering other aspects.
Rates were last revised in 2009, when the minimum fare was increased from Rs 6 to Rs 8 and the maximum fare from Rs 22 to Rs 30. While there has been a landmark rise in the passenger numbers, fares have remained the same, upsetting the maintenance cost for the network. While the body has been pushing for a rate revision since 2009, it was only last year that the Central government set up a panel to work on a fresh rate structure.
The Delhi Metro has a network of 213 kms and another 140 kms is likely to be added by 2017-end. This means a further increase in the operation and maintenance costs. Despite being praised for its efficiency and popularity, the DRMC is not having an easy ride. Recently, the body faced the Delhi High Court rap for not being able to provide basic facilities to the passengers.
“What services you are giving? Where there is no competition, there is no service. If you get a competitor, you will give all the facilities. Why are you charging even Re 1? You should give drinking water for free,” the HC said. The DMRc charges Re 1 for water at its stations.
Only 138 Metro stations have toilet facilities while 11 stations have no such provisions owing to space crunch.