Terming Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP Government’s proposal for free travel for women in Delhi Metro as ‘non-viable’, former Delhi Metro Chief E Sreedharan urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to agree to the proposal as it would set “alarming precedence”. In a letter to the prime minister, Sreedharan popularly called ‘Metro Man‘, said that if the Delhi government is “so keen” to help women commuters, it can pay the cost of their travel directly to them rather than making travel free on metro trains.
Sreedharan said when the first section of the Delhi Metro was to be opened in 2002, he had taken a firm decision that no one would be given travel concession. Even the then Prime Minister Atal Bihar Vajpayee had bought a ticket himself to travel to the station from where the metro’s first section was inaugurated, he said.
“I would very earnestly request you sir, not to agree to the Delhi government’s proposal of free travel to ladies in the Metro. If the Delhi government is so keen to help lady commuters, I would suggest Delhi government can pay directly to the lady commuters the cost of their travel rather than make travel free on the Metro,” Sreedharan said in the letter. The two-page letter of Sreedharan is published below this report.
PGurus earlier reported the non-viability of Kejriwal’s fake promise and his dubious ways in fooling people.
“Now, if ladies are to be given free travel concession in Delhi Metro, it would set an alarming precedent to all other metros in the country. The argument of the Delhi government that the revenue losses would be reimbursed to the DMRC is a poor solace,” the former DMRC managing director said.
The DMRC is a joint venture of the Centre and the Delhi government, and one shareholder cannot take a unilateral decision to give concession to one section of the community and push the Delhi Metro in to “inefficiency and bankruptcy”, Sreedharan said.
Even officers and staff, including the managing director of the DMRC, purchase tickets when they travel on the metro on official duties, he said.
The full letter of E Sreedharan is published below:
[…] खबर को अंग्रेजी में यहाँ […]
Kejriwal now knows life has come full circle. Like Macbeth, he fears the deserved fruits of his karma. With his political star in free-fall, disappointment in the ranks and unrest among knights at the round table, Kejriwal knows that what he did unto others could soon be his own destiny.
Freebies cannot be sustained in a growing economy.
I do not know who has given him a seat in IIT with a degree to cheat us.
This free ride is unnecessary and make no sense. If you are interested to offer useful service to people why don’t you donate this money to the poor
farmers burdened with loans and are forced to commit suicide.
Just imagine if women travelling in buses jump to metro travel. The system will collapse and men will not be able to enter the metro. Further with A/c comfort, there will be plenty of joy riders for time pass. Absolute maniac proposal.
Yes, one stake holder cannot take an unilateral decision. In this case Kejariwal should take the decision along with Center. When PM Modi is even encouraging senior citizens who are well off pay full ticket in train will not agree to this. So this fellow will go and do drama in the streets of Delhi that Modi is against Women. The center elections are the testimony of the people to Modi.