State to challenge HC decision on Metro fare

The state wanted the tariff to be fixed at Rs 9-13 as per the concession agreement.

After the Bombay High Court dismissed the state government’s petition seeking an injunction on the Metro rail fare structure decided by the operator of the Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar Metro, the state government has decided to appeal against the order to the division bench.

U P S Madan, metropolitan commissioner of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), said Thursday, “We will certainly appeal to the division bench in this matter.”

A day before the Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar Metro was inaugurated, the MMRDA, a state government agency, had filed a petition in the court seeking an injunction to the fare structure of Rs 10-40 that the Reliance-led Mumbai Metro One Pvt (MMOPL) had proposed. The state wanted the tariff to be fixed at Rs 9-13 as per the concession agreement, while the MMOPL said it had the flexibility to hike fares under the Metro Act. The project that was originally registered under the Tramways Act was brought under the Central government’s Metro Act late last year.

However, Justice RD Dhanuka dismissed the MMRDA’s petition saying the fare decided by the MMOPL can be in force till the Fare Fixation Committee, which would be in charge of determining tariff under the Metro Act, is formed. He also directed the expeditious formation of the committee.

The 11.4-km Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar has so far been running with a flat inaugural fare of Rs 10 and has in 23 days of its operation carried 75 lakh passengers.

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