Delhi Metro | Recent CSE study says, Delhi Metro is second most unaffordable in the world

New Delhi: A recent study by the center for science and environment (CSE) which is based on USB report on pricing and Earning, 2018 has revealed the truth of Delhi Metro. At present Delhi, Metro is second most unaffordable among metro system in the world that charges less than a half a US dollar for per trip.

The study also finds that after last year’s tariff hike for which the average commuters spend 14% of household income on metro travel, In Hanoi only spends 25% of household income. For 30% of Delhi’s riders, the total percentage of income spent on daily commuters was as high as 19.5%.

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) official said that the report was done on the basis of selective networks.

The fare hike had led to a 46% drop in ridership if one compares the projection of 39.5 lakh made two years ago for 2018 with the actual figure of 27 lakh at present.

The CSE Anumita Rao Chowdhary said that the shocking increase in Delhi Metro fares, carried out in two phases in 2017, had stirred a larger policy debate.

She also added that should metros seek to meet their future costs of loan repayment and other fixed (depreciation etc.) from fares? Or should they take at other financing methods and non-fare revenue? This is not just about Delhi Metro but about a cohesive policy for all metros.

The DMRC’S fare revenues were enough to meet the operating expenditure up to 2016-2017 but the fourth fare fixation committee had taken into accounts forecasts of revenue and expenses to justify the fare hike. While forecasting the gap between earnings and operating expenses in the future, it had not accounted for all of its non-fare revenue (Consultancy projects etc.).

While interacting at the Conclave Delhi’s transport commissioner Varsha Joshi, Justified the fare revision. If you don’t increase the fares, the quality falls. Giving the example of the metro feeder buses, which should have been an extension of extra metro the entire metro experience, the most people don’t feel like using them due to their dilapidated condition fares of feeder buses have not been increased in tandem with Delhi Metro fare hike. The feeder buses should be as comfortable as the metro.