The Bombay High Court stayed the Mumbai Metro fare hike until final hearing of MMRDA’s plea. RTI activist Anil Galgali welcomed the High Court decision and said that MMRDA and citizens were ignored by the Fare Fixation committee constituted for the 1st PPP, Mumbai Metro One. MMRDA, a partner in the project and headed by the Chief Minister have also not been found worth of a mention in the report of the Fare Fixation Committee, this has come to light due to the copy of report accessed by Galgali. The text of the report gives credence to the rumour mills that the Fare Fixation committee itself is fixed said Galgali. He had sought a copy of the report submitted by the Fare Fixation committee from the MMRDA, which was provided to him by the MMRDA.
Anil Galgali said, “The FFC was fixed, the Mumbaikars who took out valuable time from their schedules to represent their views before the FFC during the hearing for opposing the fare hike, were not even found worth of having a mention in the final report. Further the report has no reference even to the say of MMRDA headed by the CM, which had entered into the PPP along with the MMOPL on the fare increase, also whether the MMRDA had represented itself before the FFC or not also does not have any mention.”
Galgali in a letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and CM Devendra Fadnavis has demanded that the FFC be dissolved and a fresh FFC be constituted to rethink the fare increase.
Even MRCC President Sanjay Nirupam had filed a petition with the Hon’ble Bombay High Court in the fare hike issue.
Sanjay Nirupam said, “This order will provide relief to commuters as High Court has stopped Reliance Energy Limited and Veolia Transport S.A. through its special vehicle purpose Company to convert Mass Rapid Transit Project into corporate profit making commercial organisation at least for the time being.”
The next date of Hearing is fixed on 29th January, 2016.
