Delhi metro’s fare increase prices out the poor. Those arguing against offering subsidies ignore the multiplier effect of an affordable mass transit system.
The most enduring image I have of the Delhi metro is that of a shared ride with a construction worker. His shoes and clothes, turned a uniform grey by dirt, told the story of a hard day’s work spent on a construction site. A comfortable ride back home in the metro seemed like a sweet reward.
This image, however, stands threatened due to the steep 100 per cent fare hike implemented by the DMRC within a span of five months. The DMRC has justified the hike citing mounting operational expenses and loan repayments, and the need for full financial sustainability from internal revenues. But in doing so, the DMRC seems to have completely ignored a factor at the heart of all successful mass transit systems globally — affordability.
Pricing of urban mass transit systems has been a difficult challenge globally and needs a careful balance between financial sustainability and affordability, especially for the lower income populations. Affordability of public transit is globally measured as percentage of income that is spent on transit. Equity demands that metro fares must be made affordable for the poorest sections of the population, that is, those surviving on minimum wages. As is usually the case, these are the people staying in outermost pockets of the city who tend to travel the longest distances.
Please click here to read more.