Grappling with financial stress due to COVID losses, loan repayments and upkeep costs, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) on Monday revised passenger fares after a gap of nearly eight years. The hike ranges from Rs 1 to Rs 4 depending on the distance travelled, officials said.
According to the new structure, the minimum fare has increased from Rs 10 to Rs 11 for journeys of up to 2 km, while the maximum fare for trips beyond 32 km has risen from Rs 60 to Rs 64. For the 12–21 km slab, fares now stand at Rs 43, compared to Rs 40 previously, and for the 21–32 km slab, the fare has been increased to Rs 54 from Rs 50.
The new rates apply on Sundays and national holidays as well. On these days, a journey beyond 32 km will now cost Rs 54 instead of Rs 50, while travel in the 12–21 km range has been revised from Rs 30 to Rs 32, the DMRC said in a statement.
A similar revision, with an increase of up to Rs 5, has also been introduced on the Airport Express Line, it stated.
DMRC termed the hike “minimal” and said it was necessary to balance rising operational expenses.
“The reason to increase the fare are losses during the COVID period, repayment commitments to the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the need for midlife refurbishment of trains, upkeep of infrastructure and salaries of staff as major financial pressures,” officials said.
The revision has been carried out on the recommendation of the 4th Fare Fixation Committee and approved by the corporation’s Board of Directors.
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Delhi Metro fares were earlier revised in 2004, 2005, 2009 and twice in 2017 (May and October). Despite the latest increase, the DMRC maintained that its fares remain among the lowest worldwide, the statement mentioned.
Passengers using smart cards will continue to get a 10 per cent discount on every journey, with an additional 10 per cent discount available during off-peak hours before 8 am, between 12 pm and 5 pm and after 9 PM, it added.
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