The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday organised protests across metro stations in the Capital against the fare hikes by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), which was implemented on Tuesday.
The ‘ kiraya satyagrah’ (protest against fare hike) was organised by AAP volunteers outside all metro stations on Wednesday. The volunteers and supporters stood with placards and shouted slogans against the DMRC and the BJP in the Centre, for having not thought about the poor people, who will not be able to afford the revise fares.
The student wing of AAP also staged a protest outside the Rajiv Chowk station on Wednesday to denounce the Delhi Metro fare hike.
About 30 students from Delhi University’s Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti (CYSS) gathered at Gate 6, of the station and demanded a rollback of the fare hike.
“This is the second such hike in just five months. In all these years was the metro running without losses and suddenly dived into losses now? This sudden spike is going to pinch the commuter’s pocket”, said Anmol, a CYSS member.
AAP’s Delhi convenor Gopal Rai headed the protests at north Delhi’s Vishwavidyalaya metro station and spoke to people about how their travel has been affected.
“A city’s public transport is meant to be convenient and affordable so that it caters to not just the rich but also the poorest of the poor. This is the second time that the BJP in the Centre have allowed such a jarring hike. How will a common man who barely earns ₹200 to ₹300 a day spend ₹60 in travel,” said Mr. Rai.
Mr.Rai added that the party will continue its protest against this anti-people move, and supporters will gherao the Union Urban Development Ministry on Friday.
“Despite repeated requests and resistance by the Delhi government and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the BJP were stuck up and ultimately increased the fares of the metro. The people of Delhi are angry. Their monthly budget has been affected by this,” Mr. Rai said.
Move to benefit cabs
He also alleged, that this move by the BJP government is made to benefit the cab aggregator services such as Uber and Ola.“The Union Urban Development Ministry looks after the operations of the metro in Delhi and it is according to their whims and fancies that the fares are revised. The BJP government is hand in glove with these private companies and this move is only to earn them profits,” he said.
