Fare revision for Delhi Metro faces more delay
NEW DELHI: There is no quick relief for Delhi Metro as it tries to pull out of a financial mess created because there has been no fare revision since 2009. The appointments committee of the cabinet (ACC) has rejected the name of a retired judge that was submitted by the urban development ministry to head the fare fixation committee, government sources said.
It has asked the ministry to submit new names including that of other members of the panel. Sources said restarting the process would take at least a couple of months because of procedures and more so when there is a new government in Delhi. The ministry has to take the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government on board before suggesting new names.
The panel will have three members and will be headed by a person who is or has been a high court judge. The other two members will be Union urban development secretary and Delhi's finance secretary. The panel decides on the formula for fare revision.
TOI has learnt that in the past two years, four names submitted by the urban development ministry has been turned down by ACC.
Now there are apprehensions whether the AAP government would be keen on revising Metro fares within months of coming to power.
DMRC can revise fare only on recommendation of the three-member fare fixation panel. The corporation has been pushing for the setting up of the committee citing that a fare hike has become imperative with a significant increase in operational and input costs. Almost 40% of Delhi Metro's overall expenses go towards paying electricity bills with the power consumption rising to around 63 crore units amounting to almost Rs 450 crore in 2014-15.
Fares were last revised in 2009 when the minimum fare was raised from Rs 6 to Rs 8 and the maximum fare was revised from Rs 22 to Rs 30. Delhi Metro can revise the fare only on the recommendation of the committee.
Fare revision for Delhi Metro faces more delay - The Times of India
FYI: this is really happening in Delhi post the strike of sanitation workers.
Striking workers litter East Delhi with rotting garbage
The BJP’s flagship Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and the AAP’s good, clean governance mandate took a hit on Friday after close to 12,000 safai karmacharis under the East Municipal Corporation went on strike. Protesting workers took to the street Friday afternoon refusing to pick up garbage in the area and instead gathered at traffic intersections and spread rotting garbage across the roads.
The strike was called by the Delhi Pradesh Safai Karamchari Union. Its president Rajendra Mewati said, “Our wages from the corporations have not been paid for months so we have decided to go on strike.”
Areas affected included deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia’s constituency Patparganj and Mangalam, Laxmi Nagar, Karkardooma, Vikas Marg, Jagatpuri and some areas of North Delhi.
The garbage thrown was so thick and deep that many two-wheeler drivers slipped and fell. “I saw more than 15 people fall today. It’s bad and they should not have put the common man at risk. The garbage littered on the roads had glass bottles, nails and scrap iron. It’s very dangerous,” Akhilesh, a paan vendor, said.
Many of the residents are also angry with the way the safai karamcharis have decided to protest. “I have been living in this area for the past 10 years and this is the first time I have seen something like this. I live in Chetna Apartments and the the stink doesn’t reach us. But walking on the street is now impossible. I hope the government does something to resolve this issue,” Gaurav Gujral, a resident, said.
Elaborating on the issue, Yogendra Mann, East Municipal Corporation spokesperson, said, “This happened because the karamcharis have not been given their salaries since February. As soon as we get funds, the salaries will be given to karamcharis.”
Currently, there are nearly 12,000 safai karamcharis under East corporation. The civic body is facing a huge financial crunch and it needs around Rs 300 crore in order to pay salaries to its employees.
Senior functionaries of the association also said they would protest outside the houses of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.
“We will spread garbage outside their houses as well if our demands are not met immediately. How can poor people be refused wages,” a senior leader said.
A safai karamchari said, “It’s been six months since the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan took off. But it’s almost the end of this month and I am yet to receive my salary for the past three months. While the rest of the country celebrated, the Swacch Bharat Abhiyan for us meant the loss of a holiday. But most of us didn’t complain, as we thought it would make the country cleaner.
lots of AID and CHINESE INVESTMENT is coming.. WITHOUT DOING ANYTHING. 
are you jealous 
