Quashing the reports of a different fare system to increase Delhi Metro ridership during the off-peak hours, Delhi Metro Chief Mangu Singh said that Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has not mooted any such proposal. Speaking to The Pioneer on Wednesday he said that though such a system is applicable in cities such as Singapore and london, Delhi Metro has no such proposal in the pipeline.
“The issue of fares is a sensitive matter and the ultimate decision has to be taken by the Fare Fixation Committee. Since no such committee has been set up till now, the issue of a different fare system is just theoretical. Though reducing the fares during the non-rush hours can be a method to increase footfalls on the metro lines during the non-rush hours, Delhi Metro has not mooted such a proposal,” said Singh. He added that different cities in the world have fare system customised according to them, which are also differen during different time of the day.
As the fare fixation committee is yet to be set up, proposing discounts to the commuters during the non-peak hours as well as to the users of the Airport Express line makes no sense. As DMRC took charge of the Airport Express link recently, he also added that reducing the fares might not be the only option to attract commuters. “The prime aim is to balance the operational costs and revenue generated to increase profits,” he added. Recently it was reported that Delhi Metro will make a pitch for slashing the fares during the lean hours to increase ridership during such periods.
At present, the Delhi Metro carries over 20 lakh passengers on an average daily, over its 190 km long network. Delhi Metro’s demand for a fare hike on its lines is also long pending as the committee is yet to set up. last year, Delhi Metro had submitted a report for fare revision that has not been changed since 2009. It cited increase in power tariff as one of the reasons for the hike, apart from an increase in operational costs.