Delhi: commuters want low fares, high speed on Airport Metro

Most of the commuters have asked Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) - the new operator of the airport metro - to reduce fare, which was hiked in January by 50% and then again in March by Rs 30. Subhendu Ray reports.

In a bid to make the crisis-hit airport metro service a commuter-friendly and financially viable one, Delhi Metro had sought commuters’ feedback. And within five days of its taking over from Reliance Infrastructure, which ran the trains till last Sunday, Delhi Metro is flooded with suggestions.

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More than 500 commuters have already suggested ways on how the Delhi Metro can improve the services on the Airport Express line. Most of them asked Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) - the new operator of the airport metro - to reduce fare, which was hiked in January by 50% and then again in March by Rs 30.

“We have received several suggestions through the newly-introduced feedback section in our website and feedback counters at Shivaji Stadium and Dwarka Sector 21 Metro stations.

Most of them demanded fare rationalisation, while many suggested increase in train frequency, integration with Delhi Metro stations and increase in speed,” said a DMRC spokesperson.

“The major drawback of the line is the ticketing cost. It should be kept up to Rs 100,” Ashim Chatterjee of Dwarka said.

Sunder Singh, Mohammadpur suggested: “Please operate this line as other lines with the same fare and with interchange facility at New Delhi and Dwarka Sector 21”.

On Friday, all the feedback and suggestions were forwarded to Sharat Sharma, director (operations), DMRC.

From Monday, a committee of senior officers will analyse the feedback, said the spokesperson. Some decisions based on the feedback might be taken in a week’s time, a source said.

DMRC is also considering a fare reduction to attract more people so that they commute by the high-speed trains.