DELHI : Former Delhi Metro chief E. Sreedharan has written to Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia against the AAP government’s proposal to make metro rides free for women.
Terming the proposal an “election gimmick”, Mr. Sreedharan, in the letter to the Deputy Chief Minister, said that he has objected to “free travel in a metro” and not to “free travel for women”.
“If the government is so concerned about women, my suggestion is to reimburse their cost of travel directly to them rather than allowing free travel in the metro.. . any compensation [that the] Delhi government pays to the DMRC is tax payers’ money and the tax payer has a right to question why only women are being given free travel.
Mr. Sreedharan, in the letter to Mr. Sisodia, also wrote that instead of providing subsidised travel in the metro, the State government should utilise the money by helping DMRC expand the existing network.
“If the Delhi government is flush with money why not assist DMRC to procure more trains and construct more lines.. . On the other hand, to my knowledge, the Delhi government has delayed giving approval to the 4th phase expansion by two years nor come forward to introduce link bus services for last-mile connectivity,” the letter read.
Stating that if implemented, the policy should aim to address other categories as well, Mr. Sreedharan wrote: “If we allow free travel to women, what about more deserving categories like students, differently abled and senior citizens?”
