An RTI application filed has revealed that the Delhi Metro lost as many as three lakh commuters a day after the fare hike on October 10.

The fares were hiked last month after a slew of emergency meetings were called by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation board, including one where chief minister Arvind Kejriwal sought to defer the price hike.

The revised fare was implemented as the last resort after the board failed to find an alternative on the issue while at a meeting with the officials of the Urban Development Ministry.

DELHI GOVT PROTESTED

Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party had protested against the proposed metro fare hike. But the DMRC, on the other hand, had defended its decision citing that its input costs have gone up over the years and the fare hike is at par with metro rails in other cities.

Earlier last month, the Centre had informed Kejriwal that it could not put the proposed hike on hold unless the Delhi government provides Rs 3,000 crore annually to DMRC as grant-in-aid for the next five years.

Moreover, Union Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri had told the Delhi Chief Minister that the Metro Act does not allow the Centre to put on hold the fare hike.

NO JURISDICTION OVER THIS: DELHI HC

The Delhi High Court on November 14 had also refused to interfere with the Delhi Metro's decision to increase mass rapid transit fare by 100 per cent.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar had observed, "We are not inclined to interfere with it (the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation) decision. Neither do we have any jurisdiction to go into it."

As of now the revised fare structure is: Up to 2 km - Rs 10, 2 to 5 km, Rs 20, 5 to 12 km, Rs 30, 12 to 21 km, Rs 40, 21 to 32 km, Rs 50 and for journeys beyond 32 km Rs60.

Smart card users, who, according to the DMRC's estimates, happen to be 70 per cent of the metros total ridership, would continue to get 10 per cent discount on each ride.

With inputs from PTI

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