Ex-bureaucrat on Mumbai Metro Fare Fixation panel wanted maximum fare as Rs.26

Ex-bureaucrat on Mumbai Metro Fare Fixation panel wanted maximum fare as Rs.26

Mumbai: In the backdrop of a report of the Fare Fixation Committee (FFC) recommending the maximum fare for the Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar Mumbai Metro to be kept at Rs.110, it has emerged that one of its members had wanted the highest fare to be capped at Rs.26.

The FFC comprised Justice E Padmanabhan as chairman, members included ex-chief secretary of Maharashtra Jayant Kumar Banthia and former law secretary Dr TK Vishwanathan.

State representative Banthia differed from the views of other two members. Sources said that the fare suggested by the former bureaucrat was keeping in the mind a balance among all aspect.

In its report, which was submitted to authorities recently, the FFC has recommended that the tickets be priced between Rs 10 and Rs.110 for the 11.4-km elevated corridor.

At present, Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) and R-Infra-promoted Mumbai Metro One Private Ltd (MMOPL) are locked in a tug of war over the fares. Before commencement of the service, the state had suggested a structure – Rs.9-11-13 – for the Metro. However, MMOPL went ahead with Rs.10-20-30-40, leading to friction between the two partners.

Banthia’s suggestion of capping the maximum fare at Rs.26 had taken into account various factors such as affordability of commuting, increase in the project cost from Rs.2,356 crore to Rs.4,321 crore and expectations of R-Infra and MMRDA.

“There couldn’t have been a better solution and the fare suggested by ex-chief secretary Banthia is the perfect way out to the entire on-going fare war,” said a state official.

“He suggested that if the project cost has doubled, so government approved fares too must be doubled from Rs.9-11-13 to Rs.18-22-26. While bidding for the metro project, it was obvious for the Mumbai Metro One Private Limited that it will take 10-12 years to breakeven the project cost, now why to hurry to start making profits immediately?” questioned another official.

MMRDA, which lost the first round after the Bombay High Court didn’t restrain MMOPL from continuing with the Rs.10-20-30-40, is likely to move the Supreme Court in the third week of this month. Suggestions by the FFC in the report are likely to be presented along with its petition.