Press Release
Delhi University students ask for Metro fare reduction: transport to College costs more per month than the course fees for the whole year, say students.
· To meet transport Minister Haroon Yusuf on Monday 9th for shuttle bus services and additional DU specials
New Delhi, 8th July 2007: Students of Delhi University under the United Students group have written to the DMRC Chief E. Sreedharan asking him to revise his view on offering students a special metro fare.
Students had earlier written to him suggesting that a special fare could be worked out for students going to and coming back from the Vishwavidyalaya Station only as a beginning but he had cited losses as a reason to deny the possibility. Students have yesterday written to him again asking him to reconsider the decision as in many cases the cost of transport to and from the DU was more than the annual fees. Students have also argued that a comparison with other metros shows that students everywhere get preferential rates.
Krishna Kaul, who is coordinating the Metro fare issue for United Students in his letter has also asked that the DMRC Chairman support their demand with the Fare Fixation Committee.
In a related development, Transport Minister Haroon Yusuf has agreed to meet a delegation of United Students members in relation with the issue of starting Shuttle Bus services for the North and South Campus which has added to the transport costs of students. The meeting has been fixed for 3.30 in the afternoon at the Minister’s office.
“Students have to shell out 20-30 rupees for traveling within the campus in the North while eveningers and others have to pay exorbitant rates to autos from Dhaulakuan to the South campus merely because there is no convenient way to travel this distance for students,” said Ritwik Agarwal who is coordinating the Shuttle Bus issue for the group.
Students expect to convince the Minister that a hop-on, hop-off shuttle bus service could take care of the entire issue without costing a lot of money in both the campuses.
“The introduction of a shuttle in the North and South Campus will not only save students precious amounts of money but also make the campus a cleaner place and far safer for girl students”, said Nupur Mittal, also a coordinator for the group.
Aldeena Raju, a Miranda House student and a US member said, “Today in the North Campus, hundreds of cycle rickshaws, buses, cars, motorcycles have made the campus look like a fish market while allowing hundreds of unauthorized people entry into the campus. A shuttle service will allow only authorized entry and provide a single mode of transport for students, faculty and service providers.”
Similarly in the South Campus, students, particularly girl students who cannot afford to pay Rs. 20 for trips between Dhaulakuan and the South Campus are often having to walk the distance come rain, heat or a dark evening. This needs to be stopped in the interest of safety and convenience, said the students.
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For more information pl. contact Ritwik on 9873554908 or Nupur on 9868870647