NEW DELHI 9Metro Rail News): The Delhi Metro, resumed its services on September 7 after a no service of 169 days. After coming back on track, it has earned approximately Rs 6 crore as fare revenue. The highest of it came on September 14 with fare revenue amounting to Rs 1.09 crore.
During normal days of pre-COVID days, the average daily earnings from fare revenue was between Rs 9 crore to Rs 10 crore. The resumption of cash flow holds significance in light of the DMRC’s (Delhi Metro Rail Corporation) loss amounting to Rs 1,609 crore, as shared by the Centre in Lok Sabha on Thursday, on account of suspension of services between March 22 and September 6. On September 7, when the Yellow Line, which runs between Gurgaon’s Huda City Centre and Delhi’s Samaypur Badli, was opened along with Rapid Metro Gurgaon, DMRC earned Rs 10.06 lakh as revenue from ticket sales from 15,226 commuters.
The earnings rose to 70 lakh when all the lines started operating from 6 am to 11 pm on September 12. It further rose to Rs 1.09 crore on September 14, as over 2.5 lakh people — as against an average of 27 lakh during pre-corona — used the Metro services in what was the first working Monday after the complete restoration of usual services.
The Centre reiterated its stand in the Lok Sabha on Thursday in a written response. Responding to a query on measures taken by the Centre to tackle a potential impact of loan repayment by Metro operators, it said, “Urban transport is an integral part of urban development, which is a State subject. As per Metro Rail Policy, 2017, financial sustainability during operations of Metro rail system, which also includes debt servicing, is the responsibility of the State Government.”
