The Fare Fixation Committee (FFC) for recommending the passenger fares for Delhi Metro, which had sought an extension of three months to submit its report, suddenly submitted its recommendations late Thursday night
A senior official in the Ministry of Urban Development told BusinessLine the Chairman of the Committee had earlier written a letter to Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu seeking more time. He has now withdrawn the request, and the report has been submitted.
According to a source in the know, no provision exists for allowing extensions.
On May 30, the Ministry had notified the FFC for recommending the fares for the metro network in Delhi and its extension to the National Capital Region.
Set up under Sections 33 and 34 of the Metro Railway (Operations and Maintenance) Act, 2002, the Committee had been given three months from the date of assumption of charge by the Chairperson of the committee, Justice ML Mehta, a retired Delhi High Court judge, for submission of its report and recommendations to the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (DMRC).
Panel membersThe other members of the fourth FFC are Durga Shanker Mishra, Additional Secretary in the Urban Development Ministry, and KK Sharma, Chief Secretary, Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi.
The previous FFC had submitted its recommendations on metro fares in 2009. DMRC has not been able to increase fares since 2009.