Hike in Delhi Metro fares only after State elections: Venkaiah Naidu

NEW DELHI:Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) will have to wait for a final decision on increasing the fares with Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu saying that this is not the right time to talk on fare hikes.

He also indicated that the fare hike will happen only after the State elections in Delhi. “Delhi does not have a State Government in place now…,” he said.

Delhi Metro is equally owned by the Delhi Government and the Urban Development Ministry.

DMRC, which has not been able to increase fares since 2009, resorted to an indirect method recently to generate revenue. It has doubled the minimum top-up value on smart cards to Rs 200 from Rs 100.

“This is not the right time to talk on fare hikes,” he said, responding to the fare hike issue for the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation. He said this while launching a new 3 km segment of the Delhi Metro.

“I have told DMRC to study the present fares and then see whether some revision can take place. I have asked Delhi Metro to use other sources such as ATM, food court. So that it gets some additional income,” Naidu added.

“…However, in the long-term we have to make metro rail viable,” he said.