Kejriwal offers to pay half of Metro losses

‘Only if other half is paid by the Centre’

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday wrote to Union Minister of State (independent charge) Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri saying the Delhi government was willing to pay half the amount of loss caused by putting off the metro fare hike if the Centre agreed to pay the other half.

Mr. Kejriwal also expressed the Delhi government’s willingness to take over the DMRC. He was replying to a letter by Mr. Puri asking the State government to provide ₹3,000 crore annual aid to the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) for the next five years if it wanted the Metro to reconsider the fare hike.

Calls for assessment

“My government is willing to bear half the grant if only a matching grant is provided by the Centre. As you know, the Central government and the Delhi government are 50-50 owners of the DMRC. Let an assessment be made of the financial gap likely to be created on account of the postponement of the second fare hike, and we will be able to bear half of it,” wrote Mr. Kerjiwal.

He added that since the Centre bears 100% loss for the Kolkata Metro, he saw no difficulty if it bears 50% in the case of Delhi Metro. He said a Fare Fixation Committee can be constituted after such an arrangement is made. Mr. Kejriwal also stated that lately it was becoming evident that the relationship in owning the DMRC was not that of equal partners as the Delhi government’s proposals were often summarily disposed by the Centre.

“If the Central government agrees, the Delhi government would be willing to takeover the DMRC as we are confident that we will be able to fund the DMRC by improving its efficiency rather than effecting steep fare hikes, and provide an affordable means of transport to the people of Delhi.”

He hoped that the spirit of partnership would continue to prevail and a mutually acceptable solution would be found.