Kejriwal asks Delhi government representatives to seek DMRC Board meeting

New Delhi, Oct 3 (IANS) As AAP leaders continued to oppose the proposed Metro fair hike, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday asked Delhi government representatives in the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) Board to call for an emergency meeting over the matter.

The AAP government has locked horns with the DMRC over the hike proposed to be enforced from October 10, the second this year. The last hike was effected in May.

Kejriwal directed Delhi government representatives to give notice immediately for convening such a meeting, a statement from the Chief Minister's Office said.

Earlier in the day, during a meeting attended by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot, Chief Secretary M.M. Kutty, and other government officials, Kejriwal directed Kutty to apprise the DMRC Board about the notice for the sought-for meeting.

"The Delhi government is of the clear view that Delhi Metro's decision to further burden its commuters, already reeling under the adverse impact of steep fare hike in May, will only result in reduced ridership, forcing them to look for vehicular modes of transport," the statement read.

In May, the minimum fare went up from Rs 8 to Rs 10 and the maximum from Rs 30 to Rs 50.

Last Thursday, Kejriwal asked Gahlot to find within a week a way to stop the "anti-people" fare hike.

Gahlot met DMRC Managing Director Mangu Singh and asked for putting on hold the proposed hike till the Delhi government completed an inquiry on the matter.

On Friday, the AAP warned of a protest campaign if the DMRC remained adamant on increasing the Metro fares.

The DMRC defended its decision on fare hike by saying that its input costs have gone up over the years, and the increase is at par with Metro rails in other cities.

On Saturday, Kejriwal urged Union Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Puri to direct the DMRC to withhold the fair hike and on Sunday called for an independent audit of DMRC's accounts.