New Delhi: The metro ride in the national capital may get dearer soon as the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has proposed over twofold hike in its fare.
According to a report in Times of India, the metro authority has proposed a minimum fare of Rs 15 instead of the present Rs 8 and maximum of Rs 70 as compared to the current Rs 30.
The fare hike has been proposed on account of rising power prices, increased expenditure on staff and also for the repayment of Japanese loan within pr-fixed period.
DMRC has submitted to the fare fixation committee that the fares should be in the multiples of five to avoid hassles in providing small change to passengers who pay cash to buy tokens from the counters, the TOI report says.
40% of DMRC's total expenditure is on account of electricity charges which has increased by almost 100% in the past six years, the report adds.
Moreover, the operating ratio of DMRC has been deteriorating. From 40% in 2002, the expenses to operate the network has increased to 70% at present.
The last fare revision had taken place in 2009 when the minimum fare was increased to Rs 8 and maximum to Rs 30.
Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) was incorporated in May 1995, construction started in 1998, and the first section, on the Red Line, opened in 2002. The development of network was divided into phases, Phase I containing 3 lines was completed by 2006, and Phase II in 2011. Phase III is scheduled for completion by 2016.
Having constructed a massive network of 213 Km with 160 stations in record time, the DMRC today stands out as a shining example of how a mammoth technically complex infrastructure project can be completed before time and within budgeted cost by a Government agency.
