Delhi Metro fare hike row: CM, Chief Secy fight

Delhi Chief Secretary MM Kutty and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal are at loggerheads yet again, with the former refusing to order a probe into the recent Metro fare hike. Kutty's refusal to tow the line has earned him Kejriwal's ire, who summoned the Chief Secretary to his residence on Friday evening, along with a copy of orders given by him in which he had asked Kutty to examine whether the raise could have been avoided.

Also, the Aam Aadmi Party took to Twitter to express its displeasure with Kutty's action, going to the extent of casting aspersions on the officer, stating that he was "playing in the hands" of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

On October 11, the CM had directed Kutty to initiate an investigation, through the Dialogue and Development Commission, into issues pertaining to Metro as well the revised fares implemented by DMRC.

The questions included whether the Metro was working to its full efficiency and whether the new fares were inevitable.

In a letter written to the CS, the CM had complained that economy was sliding down across the country and the DMRC move had added to the woes of Delhiites. "The hike could not have come at a worse time. The economy is in recession. Medium and small-scale businesses are facing losses and unemployment rate is high," Kejriwal had written.

Meanwhile, sources claimed that a few months ago, Kutty had warned the AAP leader of DMRC's intention to roll out another fare hike. They further said that no one paid heed to him at the time. "With the revised fares a reality now, Kejriwal is making the CS a convenient scapegoat. He failed to act in time to prevent the hike and is now crying wolf by scolding Kutty for defying his orders," they said.

AAP has been strongly opposing the new fares, calling them anti-people and arbitrary. They even launched a Metro Fare Satyagraha on Wednesday at different stations to voice their protest.