Back in India and in Delhi, if you are travelling beyond 5 km on the Metro from today, be prepared to shell out Rs 10 extra with yet another fare hike coming into effect. The hike, which comes five months within the last one, will affect every commuter of the mass rapid transit who travels beyond 5 km, while journeys falling in the 2-5 km distance slab will cost Rs 5 more.


The revised fare structure will be: up to 2 km -- Rs 10, 2 to 5 km -- Rs 20, 5 to 12 km -- Rs 30, 12 to 21 km -- Rs 40, 21 to 32 km -- Rs 50 and for journeys beyond 32 km -- Rs 60.


Smart card users, who, according to DMRC's estimates, happen to be 70 per cent of the metro's total ridership, will continue to get 10 per cent discount on each ride. They will get an additional discount of 10 per cent while travelling during off-peak hours, that is from beginning of services till 8 am, between 12 pm and 5 pm and from 9 pm to end of the services.


The announcement came late last night following a meeting of the metro's top decision making body, the DMRC board, which refused to "interfere" in the matter, referring to the stiff opposition mounted by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal against the hike.


The board, which met for around two hours, said it has no power to change the recommendations of the fare fixation committee (FCC), which had proposed the steep hike last year.


The board met around 8 pm at Nirman Bhawan following Kejriwal's insistence that the decision be withheld. The Delhi Assembly passed a resolution against the hike earlier in the day.  -- PTI