If people stop using metro, what's its purpose: Arvind Kejriwal on Delhi metro fare hike

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NEW DELHI: A day after RTI revealed that Delhi Metro lost as many as three lakh commuters, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday said the steep fare hike will "kill" the capital's metro service.

Kejriwal questioned the purpose of metro services if the citizens stop using it.

The Chief Minister took to Twitter saying, "This steep hike in metro fare will kill Delhi Metro. If people stop using it, then what purpose does it serve?"

According to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief, the of late increase in the metro fare was not beneficial enough.

He along with his party had earlier opposed the fare hike and said that people have opted for alternative means of transport leading to an increase in the city's air pollution levels.

"That many passengers have taken to other means of transport, thus increasing pollution and congestion on roads. Metro fare hike has not benefited anyone," Kejriwal tweeted.

On October 10, DMRC effected the fare hike, leading to a rise of around Rs 10 for nearly every distance slab. This came barely five months of another hike of up to 100 percent.

After the first phase of the hike in May, the metro lost nearly 1.5 lakh passengers per day in June.

The Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP government has mounted a stiff opposition to the hike, leading to a confrontation with the Centre.

The Delhi Assembly even passed a resolution to oppose the fare increase by the Delhi Metro with Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, alleging that it was a "conspiracy" to benefit private cab companies.

However, the DMRC and Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri supported the move saying it was essential to maintain metro's financial as well as operational health.

He rejected Kejriwal's opposition, saying the Centre was in no position to disregard the recommendations of a Fare Fixation Committee which had drawn up the revised fare list.

The revised fare structure is: up to 2 km - Rs 10, 2 to 5 km - Rs 20, 5 to 12 km - Rs 30, 12 to 21 km - Rs 40, 21 to 32 km - Rs 50 and for journeys beyond 32 km - Rs 60.