Swaraj India Alleges AAP-Led Delhi Govt Wanted To Raise Bus Fares After Metro Hike

Yogendra Yadav led Swaraj India has alleged that Delhi government was planning to increase DTC bus fares after the Metro fare hike, reports claim. The party had made the allegations citing from the Fourth Metro Fare Fixation Committee (FFC) report in 2016.

Allegations by Swaraj India

Sources said the government had asked the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) for the minutes of the meeting before the report was made.

In the past few years, the only beneficiary in Delhi's public transport system has been the App-based private operators like Ola/Uber! Rest all the mediums like Metro Rail, DTC Buses, Local Trains or Autorickshaws etc have only been made to suffer due to govt policies & apathy.. pic.twitter.com/W9fxPqe79Q

— Anupam (@AnupamConnects) December 1, 2017

There is a clear mention in the report about the fact that the DTC managing director (MD) and the secretary-cum-transport commissioner had talked of a revision in the fare of DTC buses after the fare hike in the Delhi metro.

Swaraj India accused AAP led Delhi government of being hypocritical by denying that they did not intend to raise DTC bus fares, despite there being documented proof.

The party’s spokesperson, Anupam has claimed that there are fears of DTC not having a single bus left and the number of employees being reduced to 6,517 personnel, including 5,052 regular drivers. “But the Delhi government did not make any procurements and continued to keep public transport in misery. Perhaps the government does not want to buy new buses unless fares are increased,” Anupam reportedly said.

Delhi Government’s reply to the allegations

Denying the allegations, Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot reportedly said, “There is no proposal to hike DTC fares; these are lies.”

Futile attempts to mislead the public. Have NO basis. There is NO proposal whatsoever to hike DTC fares – all these are LIES.

— Kailash Gahlot (@kgahlot) November 30, 2017

A government source has claimed that Swaraj India has picked up one line from the report and has chosen to interpret it in their manner.

It also added that there had been constant efforts from the side of the government to reduce bus fares. But it was rejected by Lieutenant Governor Anil Bajaj, citing considerable losses to DTC.