Power punch: Metro to hike fares

More bad news is in store for inflation-hit Delhiites. Steep hikes in power tariff over the years are likely to soon reflect in Delhi Metro’s fares. Subhendu Ray reports.

More bad news is in store for inflation-hit Delhiites. Steep hikes in power tariff over the years are likely to soon reflect in Delhi Metro’s fares.

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"Though no formal decision in this regard has been taken yet, a hike in fares cannot be avoided considering the huge rise in our operating expenditure," said a senior officer of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC). The organisation’s fare fixation committee will take the final call soon, the officer added.

If the charges do go up, this will be the third revision of the fare structure since Metro’s inception in 2002.

When contacted, Satish Kumar, director (electrical), also indicated that a fare hike seemed imminent. "We need to revise the fares so that we do not have to compromise on our service. Our overall expenditure on operating trains will go up by at least 10%," Kumar said.

The minimum fare may rise by R2 while the maximum is likely to rise by R5, sources said. "The steep hike will cause Metro’s operating expenditure to shoot up by R100 crore annually. Due to resistance by local bodies, we won’t be able to earn much through property development," said a DMRC official.

DMRC presently spends 30% of its operating expenses on power consumption. "We presently spend Rs 3.80 on each unit of power. With the new hike, spending on per unit will become R5," said a DMRC spokesperson.