Steep hike in fare likely

Even before it is opened for public use, fare of Mumbai Metro rail's is set to increase once again.

The final authority to fix the prices before commissioning the project will be the Mumbai Metro One Private Limited (MMOPL), the consortium comprising Reliance Infrastructure (69% holding), Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (26%) and Veolia (5%).

There are 11 members in the MMOPL's board, eight of which are from Reliance Infrastructure (RInfra) while the rest three from the state government (two MMRDA officials and the principal secretary of urban development department). This is where Reliance Infrastructure has an upper hand in clearing the initial fares before the project is formally opened for commuters.

For almost a year now, RInfra has been demanding increase in metro rail fares citing hike in the project cost from Rs 2,356 crore to Rs4,321 crore for the 11.4km-long corridor.

On September 5, 2013, when the Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar route was under the Indian Tramways Act, 1886, and the chief minister was the final authority to decide on fare revisions. The CM had marginally increased the minimum fare from Rs6 to Rs9 and the maximum fare from Rs10 to Rs13. But RInfra had been demanding Rs22 as the minimum fare and Rs33 to travel between Versova and Ghatkopar.

On November 18, 2013 the Union Ministry of Urban Development had notified the metro rails in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region under the Metro Railways (Construction of Works) Act, 1978, thereby changing several rules to administer the metro rail. This also entitles MMOPL as the 'Metro Railway Administrator', who is supposed fix the fares before opening of the project.

Thereafter, the fare revisions will be taken care of by the Fare Fixation Committee, wherein MMOPL officials will not have any members. The committee will have a bureaucrat each from the Union and state governments as well as a sitting or a retired judge.

"Fare is still under finalisation. We will fix the fares before the route is inaugurated. As per the Metro Railways Act, 1978, MMOPL will fix the fares first," said Abhay Kumar Mishra, chief executive officer of MMOPL.

FARES (in Rs)/ KMS
UPTO 3 KMS
3-8 KMS
OVER 8 KMS
In 2008
6
8
10
CM Approved On September 5, 2013
9
11
13
MMOPL's Demand
22
28
33