New Delhi:- Delhi Metro’s annual expenditure on power has increased by nearly Rs 149 crore from 2012 to 2015 due to a steep rise in electricity tariff in the national capital region where it operates, the Lok Sabha was informed today.
The net expenditure on power was Rs 319.86 crore in the year 2012-13 which subsequently rose to Rs 399.86 crore in 2013-14 and Rs 468.55 crore in 2014-15, the government said in reply to a question in the Lower House.
“DMRC (Delhi Metro Rail Corporation) has informed that due to increase in tariff since April 1, 2009, they had paid Rs 799 crore more than that would have been paid at the rate of electricity tariff as on April 1, 2009,” Minister of State for Urban Development Babul Supriyo said.
Citing the rise in power tariff, DMRC has been consistently demanding its fares to be revised. The fares were last hiked in 2009.
Responding to whether the government proposes to increase fares to compensate for the loss, Supriyo said Urban Development Ministry has forwarded a proposal for constitution of the 4th Fare Fixation Committee for the approval of the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet.
Replying to another query, the government said it has sought Rs 19,335 crore assistance from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for the construction of DMRC’s Phase III.
Over Rs 42,000 crore has been sanctioned for the construction of Metro’s Phase III, which will take the mass rapid transit to more areas of the NCR region, of which JICA is funding 53 per cent.
PTI
