National
DMRC defends fare hike proposal
New Delhi, Sep 30 (IANS) The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation on Saturday defended its decision on another fare hike saying its input costs have gone up over the years, and the increase is on par with other city metro rails.
In a statement issued here, the DMRC said it has been operating in the city since 2002, and is presently carrying around 27 lakh passengers everyday.
“To continue to provide a world class service, it is essential to operate as a healthy organization. Keeping this in view, the provision has been made for the periodic revision of fares through a Fare Fixation Committee (FFC) in the Delhi Metro Operations & Maintenance Act, 2002,” the statement said.
“However, since 2009, there has been no fare increase whereas the input cost for DMRC has increased by over 105 per cent in Energy, 139 per cent in staff cost and by 213 per cent for repair and maintenance”.
“In addition, the DMRC has taken a huge loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and a payment of Rs 26,760 crore is still outstanding which has to be paid back,” it said.
The statement said DMRC has to provide for depreciation and replacement of various assets such as the trains (Rolling Stock) which have a life of 30 years and will have to be replaced subsequently, and for this provision has to be made.
“Inspite of operating efficiently, the DMRC is making a net loss of Rs 378 crore in view of the above factors.”
The statement also said that the long gap of over eight years in the formation of FFC has resulted in the fare hike in percentages, which if seen on yearly basis, is in the reasonable range of 7-8 per cent per annum taking into account the two phase of the fare hike – the first that was done in May this year, and the second phase which is to be done in October.
“The DMRC is constantly making efforts to reduce its operating cost by going for solar power projects and increasing the energy efficiency at its stations besides introducing new initiatives on Property Development and Property Business front. DMRC is consistently increasing number of trains, AFC gates, lifts, escalators and other passenger services which also result in the increase of input cost but are essential for providing a world class service,” it said.
It also defended the hike saying that once the third phase of Metro is operational, commuters will have to travel shorter distances, and pay lesser.
“A comparison of metro fares of many Metros in India shows that the DMRC’s maximum fare level is either less or comparable with other metros which are operating in India inspite of a higher per capita income in Delhi,” the statement said.
The statement added that as the metro system is getting older, more maintenance procedures, preventive and corrective checks, safety and reliability checks, replacement of electrical fittings, base plates, rail testing are required and essential for providing a world class service, which also leads to increased cost in overall operations and maintenance.
“The Metro fares have been decided independently by the Fare Fixation Committee which is a statutory body,” it added.
The Delhi government has told the Delhi Metro Rail Corp (DMRC) to hold its impending fare hike till it completes an enquiry on the proposed increase.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which is in power in the national capital, has also threatened to launch a protest campaign if DMRC is adamant on increasing the Metro fares.
–IANS
ao/rn
Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.
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