Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia has accused the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) for refusing to share details of the Metro ridership following its fare hike. Sisodia said that according to preliminary reports, there has been an increase of 65,000 in the ridership on the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses after the fare hike.
Addressing the media on Saturday, Sisodia asked why a company like DMRC has a problem with sharing ridership data after the fare hike. AAP leaders had earlier claimed that increasing fares would result in a fall in ridership.
“If metro is only for a premium class of Delhi, then what is the point of using thousands of crores of tax money of Delhi’s citizens for itIJ” he asked. He questioned why the Centre was not allowing an enquiry into the hike.
The fares were increased from Tuesday despite strong opposition from the Delhi Government, which had locked horns with the DMRC over the hike — the second this year.
Referring to an enquiry ordered into the hike, Sisodia said, “BJP should answer this: What did BJP do in the last three years that they have a problem with an enquiryIJ” Earlier, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had directed Chief Secretary MM Kutty to order probe into the Metro fare hike. But the Central Government opposed the move. “State Government has no authority to make an enquiry into the DMRC’s affairs,” a letter from the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs to Kutty read.
Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia shared a communication from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs to Chief Secretary MM Kutty with reporters suggesting the same, which, he said, vindicates the Government’s position that Kutty was “stalling the process at the BJP’s behest”.
“DMRC is not a State PSU. It has been organised as a 50:50 equity partnership of the Central Government and the State Government. Therefore, it is neither Central nor State PSU. It is a Board run Government company. Therefore, State Government has no authority to make an enquiry into DMRC affairs,” the letter to Kutty states.
The Deputy Chief Minister said that even if the Central Government does not allow the probe, a Delhi Assembly appointed committee will look into the fare hike. Sisodia said that the metro fare hike was a conspiracy to hide a scam.
Sisodia said the Government was not buying the Metro’s contention that it had to resort to a fare hike since it was running on losses. “We will ensure that a probe is done. The Delhi Assembly has every right to get a probe done. The House Committee is already conducting one,” he said.
The communication from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, however, clearly states that neither the Dialogue and Development Commission of Delhi nor the Delhi Government has “competence to enquire into Metro’s affairs.”
“The fare hike that came into effect from October 10, increased ticket prices to Rs 10 for all travels beyond 5 km. The hike which comes barely five months within the last one, will affect every commuter who travels beyond 5 km. The maximum fare, for journeys beyond 32 km, will now be Rs 60.