Delhi: AAP hits streets, launches Metro Kiraya Satyagraha against fare hike

During the agitation dubbed “Metro Kiraya Satyagraha”, party volunteers blamed the Centre and Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) for increasing the fares despite the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government’s opposition.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday staged demonstrations outside metro stations across Delhi demanding a rollback of the hike in fares.

An AAP worker hands out pamphlets protesting the Metro fare hike near Lajpat Nagar Metro station on Wednesday. (Sanchit Khanna/HT PHOTO)

During the agitation dubbed “Metro Kiraya Satyagraha”, party volunteers blamed the Centre and Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) for increasing the fares despite the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government’s opposition.

The biggest gathering of party volunteers was reported outside Vishwavidyalaya metro station where senior AAP leader and Delhi convener Gopal Rai led the agitation. Carrying placards and shouting anti-BJP slogans, the protestors -- men and women of all ages -- demanded an immediate rollback of the hike.

“I commute by metro every day. Two fare hikes in six months is unjustified. We are against this decision and want a rollback,” said Kushal Singh, 35, a teacher from Nehru Nagar.

A retired government employee, Ashish Kumar Bhatacharya, 64, who also joined the protestors, accused the Centre of burning a hole in the common man’s pockets by increasing the fares.

“We are already hit by inflation and new tax regimes. And now we have to pay nearly double the fares in metro if we count both the hikes implemented in six months,” he said.

“We have failed to understand why was their pressing need to increase fares so much after eight years of no price revision,” said Gopal Rai. Rai said the protests would continue till the hike was rolled back.

Rai said party leaders would protest at the Union urban development ministry office at Nirman Bhavan on October 13. The ministry and the Delhi government are equal stakeholders in DMRC.

AAP MLAs raised the issue during special sessions of the Delhi Legislative Assembly and a resolution to oppose the proposed hike was passed to this effect as well.

“They increased the fare despite opposition from CM Arvind Kejriwal and the government. The increase in fare hits the common man directly and in a way benefits private cab operators,” Rai said.

Elsewhere, volunteers gathered in hundreds and extended their support for the protest.

“The fare hike is unjustified. Now metro no more remains a cheap means of transport for people of Delhi,” said, Jageshwar Solanki, 44, outside a metro station.

Earlier in the day, over a dozen members of the Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti (CYSS) -- AAP’s student wing --staged a protest outside Rajiv Chowk metro station.