BMRCL MD agrees for ‘calibration’ of metro rail fare after criticism
Bengaluru, Feb 13 (PTI): The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited's Managing Director M Maheshwar Rao on Thursday said there is scope for calibration of recently hiked fares.
He said this after the BMRCL came under sharp criticism for introducing steep hike in Metro Rail fares. In some cases the fare hike was over 100 per cent prompting Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to intervene.
Speaking to reporters in a press conference here, Maheshwar Rao however said, there will be no fare revision but only 'calibration,' in effect meaning easing of hike for some stages without disturbing the basic structure of revision.
The calibration proposed by BMRCL without diluting the provisions of the Metro Railways (Operaton and Maintenance) Act will provide relief to the 46 per cent of commuters, Rao said.
"The committee had given us a methodology to fix fares. We see some scope for corrections and calibration in the details," the BMRCL chief said.
"We were able to find out that in some cases the hike is over100 per cent or 90 per cent. Some people have complained that those who were paying Rs 18 are now spending Rs 40 for the same distance. Some people say that with Metro card the fare comes to Rs 36 (since there is five per cent concession on card user). Some people said that those who were paying Rs 22 earlier are now paying Rs 50," the BMRCL MD said.
Rao said they are correcting some errors in calculation of stages which will ease the fare hike.
"Out of the total 7.5 lakh to 8.5 lakh rides everyday, around three lakh people will get relief by these corrections. Because we will be able to reduce the jump,” he explained.
He added that the change has been done without diluting any of the recommendations, board discussions and the provisions of the Metro Railways Act.
Rao said for the past four to five years the BMRCL had been requesting for fare fixation.
“Last Sunday it (fare hike) came into effect and then we got the information that there was abnormal hike. People posted price comparison in social media. We too reviewed based on the fare matrix to check whether there is scope for corrections. We too discussed with the board members,” the BMRCL MD said.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, some MLAs had asked the BMRCL to review it and people too had given representations, he explained.
The BMRCL Board held meetings in this connection since Wednesday.
Fare fixation committee recommendations are binding on the Metro Rail Board as per the Metro Railways Act, he said.
Rao said the Metro Rail has to go by the statute and it has to function for the benefit of people.
Many people think that the BMRCL is going to take huge benefit by increasing fare which was not true, he said.
"The total loan repayment that is to be made over the next four years ranges between Rs 770 crore Rs 2,700 crore including principal and interest. Government gives us principal and the interest part has to be borne by the Metro Rail,” the MD said.
Along with that the BMRCL has to make provision for depreciation such as replacing the rolling stock and other equipments over a period of time.
"So whatever we do we are always going to be a loss making organisation which has been subsidised by the Government. What we can do is to run it efficiently and think how to give best services to the people,” Rao explained.
He underlined that a lot of capital investment is required to run the BMRCL and the fare hike was done for that.
A statement issued by the BMRCL said Delhi Metro Rail Corporation’s fare at present is from Rs.10 to Rs. 60.
"However, this fare structure was fixed in 2017 and since then about 8 years have gone. Hence comparison with it is not appropriate," the statement read. Minimum fare of Mumbai Metro is also Rs.10 but the maximum is Rs.80, it further said.
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Bengal: On way to PM's rally, 3 mowed down by train amid dense fog
Kolkata (PTI): Three persons died and three others were injured after being hit by a train amid dense fog on Saturday, while travelling to attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally at Taherpur in West Bengal's Nadia district, a senior official said.
The incident occurred between Taherpur and Badkulla railway stations under the Sealdah-Krishnanagar section of Eastern Railway, he said.
Modi, whose helicopter could not land at Taherpur due to dense fog and low visibility, condoled the death of the “BJP workers” in his virtual address from Kolkata airport.
“I have come to know that some BJP workers, while travelling to the rally, lost their lives in a rail accident. My condolences are with the families of those who have lost their loved ones, and I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured,” Modi said.
The Eastern Railway official told PTI that the incident occurred in the morning when these people, who were travelling by a bus, had stopped the vehicle and walked to the railway tracks to answer nature's call.
"While three persons died on the spot, two others with injuries were admitted to a local hospital," he said.
Another person with minor injuries was released after having been administered first aid, the official said.
The deceased have been identified as Ramprasad Ghosh (74), Shaktipada Sutradhar (55) and Gopinath Das (38).
Meanwhile, Mahua Moitra, Trinamool Congress MP from Krishnanagar constituency in Nadia district, alleged that the BJP ignored the incident and went ahead with the rally.
"Terrible tragedy hushed up at altar of @narendramodi ego. @BJP4India supporters brought from far Murshidabad for PM rally in Ranaghat today," she said in a post on X.
"4 went to answer nature's call and were killed by 31814 down local train near Taherpur. BJP ignored, blacked out & went ahead with rally," Moitra claimed.
Reacting to her remarks, the West Bengal BJP, in a post on X, asserted that the TMC "has always been adept at milking tragedies", and was being "disrespectful to the unfortunate victims of this tragedy".
The TMC alleged that BJP leaders have not shown "neither concern nor compassion" over the mishap.
"The loss of three lives in Taherpur should have united everyone in grief. But @BJP4India leaders showed neither concern nor compassion," it said in another post on X.
"At this painful moment, Smt @MamataOfficial and Shri @abhishekaitc put humanity above party lines and stood beside the families of the deceased," the party said.
TMC’s on-ground leaders promptly reached out to the grieving family members, ensuring them of help and assistance, it said.
"While Delhi’s rulers chase Bengal with arrogance, our leadership chose empathy. This is the difference between politics of power and politics of people!" the TMC added.
