NSUI activists stop Delhi metro train to protest fare hike scheduled to take effect from 10 October

New Delhi: A group of NSUI activists stopped a Delhi metro train in its tracks on the Yellow Line on Monday, protesting against the proposed fare hike which is scheduled to come into effect from Tuesday. The incident took place at the Vishwavidyalaya station of the busy corridor, connecting north Delhi to Gurgaon, around 12 pm. It briefly disrupted metro services on Line 2. [caption id=“attachment_4124203” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File photo of Delhi metro. AFP[/caption] “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 10 October, 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. From 10 October, 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.