Centre offers phase-IV metro to CM Arvind Kejriwal

NEW DELHI: The Narendra Modi government refused to blink in the Centre vs Arvind Kejriwal face-off over Delhi Metro Rail fare hike with the urban development minister Hardeep Puri suggesting the chief minister was free to take over the much delayed and expensive Delhi Metro Phase IV.

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Board met on Monday night and considered the proposal of Delhi CM to defer metro fare hike recommended by fare fixation committee to be made effective from October 10.

The Board was informed that under Section 37 of the Metro Railways (Operation and Maintenance) Act, 2002, recommendations of the FFC are binding on metro rail authorities. So, the Board noted that it does not have the competence to consider or defer implementation of the recommendations of FFC.

Responding to Kejriwal’s letter, Puri said, “It is clear that the Board of DMRC has no power to alter the recommendations of the FFC. In view of your insistence for a Board meeting and in the spirit of cooperative federalism, I suggested to the secretary, who is also the chairman of Board, to reconsider the position in this regard and to convene a meeting of the Board.”