The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved a three-member fare fixation committee on revision of Delhi Metro rail fares. Former judge of Delhi High Court Justice Ml Mehta would be chairman of the committee. Besides Mehta, Delhi Chief Secretary KK Sharma and Durga Shanker Mishra, Additional Secretary of Urban Development Ministry, would be other members of the committee.
The panel will submit its report within a maximum of three months time. A formal notification to this effect would be issued within a day or two. The Committee won’t recommend fare structure for Airport Express line of Metro. The fares were last revised in 2009.
Sources said the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the proposal for appointment of Justice Mehta, as chairman of the 4th Fare Fixation Committee in the Delhi Metro.
The Delhi Metro has requested the Centre to constitute 4th Fare Fixation Committee for recommending fares for Delhi Metro network . According to an official data, DMRC registered a net loss before tax of Rs275.46 crore in 2014-15, a whopping increase of 353 per cent from Rs60.74 crore in 2013-14. The net loss was to the tune of Rs7.94 crore in 2012-13. Justice Mehta was sworn in as additional judge of Delhi High Court on December 3, 2010. He retired on December 30, 2013.
As per rules, the Central Government need to constitute a fare fixation committee for the purpose of recommending fare for the carriage of passengers by the metro railways. The Committee consists of a chairperson and two other members--one each nominated by central and Delhi government. The panel is mandated to submit its report within a maximum of three months time or before as defined by its terms of reference.
The recommendation made by fare fixation committee is binding on the Delhi Metro administration.
Recently, DMRC chief Mangu Singh had also hinted that it was time for a fare hike as the current charges did not reflect the increase in costs of operation.