File picture: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal | Photo Credit: IANS

New Delhi: Former Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) chief E Sreedharan, famously known as Metro Man, has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to “not agree” with the proposal put forward by Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi for giving free rides to women commuters on public transport.

Earlier this month, the Delhi government had announced its plan to permit women to travel free in Delhi Metro, and DTC and cluster buses within the next three months by providing a subsidy. The BJP and Congress had dismissed the scheme as an election gimmick.

Once implemented by August-September, the scheme would put an additional burden of around Rs 700-800 crore in the current financial year. The Delhi government and Centre are equal partners in the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC).

Sreedharan, presently a principal advisor to the DMRC, sought PM Modi’s “personal intervention” in the matter.

In his letter dated June 10, Sreedharan suggested that the Delhi government can make monthly upfront payment through Direct Benefit Transfer.

“One shareholder cannot take a unilateral decision to give concession to one section of community and push Delhi Metro in to inefficiency and bankruptcy,” Sreedharan wrote in the letter, as per The Hindu.

“Sir, when the first section of the Delhi Metro was to be opened, I had taken a firm and conscious decision that no one would be given any travel concession on Delhi Metro. This stand was taken to maximize revenues so that Metro fares could be kept low so as to be affordable to ordinary citizens and at the same time Metro would make sufficient operational surpluses to pay back the loans taken from JAICA.

“Now, if ladies are to be given free travel concession in Delhi Metro, it would set an alarming precendence to all other Metros in the country. The argument of Delhi Govt that the revenue losses would be reimbursed to DMRC is a poor solace. The amount involved in about 1,000 crores per annum today. This will go on increasing as the Metro network expands and with further fare hikes on the Metro,” he wrote.