NSUI activists stop metro train against proposed fare hike

The incident took place around 12 pm at the Vishwavidyalaya Station of the busy corridor, connecting north Delhi to Gurgaon.

It briefly disrupted the metro services on Line 2.

"NSUI Delhi president Akshay along with two other activists stopped the metro due to the unjustified fare hike.

We demand that the proposed hike be rolled back and students be provided subsidised passes," an NSUI spokesperson said.

The Delhi government has been opposing the fare hike with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal even offering to take over the operations of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC).

The Centre, however, told the Delhi government it would need to pay Rs 3,000 crore annually for five years if it wanted to stop the metro fare hike.

If the hike is effected, the fares will go up by a maximum of Rs 10.

The existing fare structure is: up to 2 kms -- Rs 10, 2-5 kms -- Rs 15, 5-12 kms -- Rs 20, 12-21 kms -- Rs 30, 21-32 kms -- Rs 40 and for journeys beyond 32 kms -- Rs 50.

From October 10, for a distance of up to two kilometres, the fare will remain Rs 10, but for a distance between two and five kilometres, it will go up from Rs 15 to Rs 20.

For the subsequent slabs, it will go up by Rs 10 each, which means the maximum fare will be Rs 60.

Meanwhile, the NSUI Delhi president, who was detained by the police said, "Both AAP and Modi governments are anti-students. They are passing the buck instead of working for the student welfare. We have concession passes for students in Kolkata metro as well as in Australia, then why not Delhi"?

The police, when contacted by PTI, said they were mulling over legal action.

RSS-affiliated ABVP, on the other hand, will be organising an agitation tomorrow at Metro Bhawan near Barakhamba Road in protest against the hike.

"Students were affected by the last fare hike. Another hike now will cut a deep hole in their pockets. We strongly oppose any such move," Saket Bahuguna, ABVP's national media convener, said.