From college students to govt officials, commuters have begun to feel the impact of the hike in Delhi Metro fare, with some saying they were planning to switch to car-pooling

New Delhi: From college students to government officials, commuters have begun to feel the impact of the hike in Delhi Metro fare, with some saying they were planning to switch to car-pooling on a long-term basis.

Aroma Bhargava, 19, a Delhi University student, is not happy with the increase in fare, which came into effect on Tuesday.

"My college is in Chanakyapuri. I travel from Moolchand to Race Course, traversing through Violet and Yellow lines. When I heard about the hike, my immediate reaction was like -'I am now switching to app-based cabs'," she said.

Being a student, Bhargava said, she does not have "much of a budget". "So I will carpool more," she told PTI.

Manaswini, 19, who goes to Gargi College in south Delhi, suggested that the DMRC issue special student travel cards as done by the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC).

The Delhi Metro increased fare for travel beyond five kilometres. The new fare structure translates into varied increase for metro travellers in Delhi-NCR.

The hike is most likely to hit the poor and the lower middle class, especially those commuting daily to Delhi from the National Capital Region, such as Gurgaon, Faridabad, Noida and Ghaziabad.

Fifty-year-old Sunil Bhatia, a Gurgaon resident, works at a government institution near Patel Chowk Metro Station in Delhi, from where he takes the train on his way back home.

Laboriously moving towards the queue at the entry gate at the metro station, Bhatia said he has travelled on the Delhi Metro ever since it extended to the Millennium City.

"The inflation has hit the common man, and now this hike in fare will pinch our pockets further," rued Bhatia.

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has defended the fare hike, saying it was needed to "maintain a world-class service".

One of the best mass rapid transit systems in the world, the Delhi Metro is known for its efficient services and cleanliness.

Balbir Singh, 48, a senior official at a PSU bank on the Parliament Street, does not agree with Delhi Metro's defence to hike the fare. He said, "What good is a world-class service if the common man finds it unfordable."

"I have a decent job, so I will somehow manage by cutting my other expenditures. What about the poor, the labourers, the masons, the carpenters and roadside vendors, who come to Delhi to earn a livelihood.

"They will now switch to other public transport — like buses. The chartered buses plying from NCR to Delhi are likely to raise their fare too. So, for them, it is a double whammy," he said.

Singh, who settled in Delhi four years ago, said an "open debate" should have been held to take into account the views of various stakeholders and the general public.

But not everyone is unhappy with the fare hike.

Sudhir Kumar, an auto-rickshaw driver, feels more commuters were likely to take his services in the days to come.

Nisha, who daily takes metro from home to workplace and back, asked, "What is in it (hike) for us? We are paying more so would that mean, more frequent services or more comfort?"

The revised fare structure is:

Up to 2 km : Rs 10

: Rs 10 2 to 5 km : Rs 20

: Rs 20 5 to 12 km : Rs 30

: Rs 30 12 to 21 km : Rs 40

: Rs 40 21 to 32 km : Rs 50

: Rs 50 For journeys beyond 32 km: Rs 60

Metro smart card users, who account for 70 percent of its ridership, will continue to get 10 per cent discount on each ride, besides additional discount of 10 per cent while travelling during off-peak hours.