AAP’s ‘Free Metro Rides for Women’ proposal rejected by the Central Government –or is it fake news?

In recent news, updates about the status of Aam Aadmi Party’s proposal of providing women with free rides in the Delhi Metro has been doing the rounds. There are two sides of the story and we thought you should know both.

Earlier this month, Arvind Kejriwal led Aam Aadmi Party put forward a proposal which stated that the Delhi Metro rides would be made free of cost for women. They said that it would work as a step towards ensuring women’s safety. However, the proposal has apparently been rejected by the Centre, according to a report by Times Now News, Republic TV, and Zee News.

Big Setback to Arvind Kejriwal: Centre says no to AAP government's proposal to make Delhi Metro rides free for womenhttps://t.co/hdBn4VjNZx

— Republic (@republic) June 27, 2019

In yet another face-off between the Centre and the Delhi government, this time over the ‘free ride’ sops given to women in the national capital region, the central government rejects Aam Aadmi Party’s scheme proposal.https://t.co/kxMB6cp7DD

— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) June 27, 2019

केजरीवाल सरकार को लगा बड़ा झटका...

#DelhiMetrohttps://t.co/HOi9YD6i6i

— Zee News Hindi (@ZeeNewsHindi) June 27, 2019

Also Read: Kejriwal announces free metro and bus travel for women; janta (rightfully) doesn’t seem happy at all

According to these reports, as a response to the question raised in the Lok Sabha, Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs, Mr. Hardeep Singh Puri said that the Union government is of no view that there should be any free ride to anyone in the Delhi Metro. The Centre does not see the point behind this scheme, just like many woman activists who voiced that women are independent in all aspects now and do not mind paying for their own travel.Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) principal advisor, and ‘Metro Man’, E Sreedharan was always against this proposal, standing by the women activists and claiming that it would increase DMRC’s debt burden, which already stands at ₹35,000 crores. He also called this move by the Kejriwal government a ‘political gimmick’, like many others.

In a letter to PM Modi, metro man E Sreedharan explains why Delhi govt's proposal to allow free travel to ladies in Delhi metro should be rejected. pic.twitter.com/jk5Xk5yW7w

— Prasar Bharati News Services (@PBNS_India) June 14, 2019

It won't happen.
The fare policy of Delhi Metro is in the hands of center. He will send the proposal it will be rejected on the basis of merit. He will cry foul as usual and demand for the full statesmanship of Delhi.
Same drama since 2015.??

— Batra Ji (@bat_pank) June 3, 2019

On the other hand, another tweet from the ANI says something else entirely. It has quoted the Delhi CM stating that legally the Delhi government doesn’t need to send a proposal to the Centre to start its work on the scheme.

Delhi CM: Legally Delhi govt doesn't need to send a proposal to Centre regarding free ride for women on Delhi Metro. Both Delhi Metro & Delhi govt ready to work on this proposal. Being the Delhi CM, I assure women of Delhi that we will implement free metro ride for women in Delhi https://t.co/CnwNYtM6M6

— ANI (@ANI) June 27, 2019

According to an article published in OpIndia, Hardeep Singh Puri responded to the query saying that the Union didn’t receive any proposal regarding the free rides of women on Delhi Metro, unlike what other news agencies have been saying.

Fact-check: Union Government didn't 'reject' any proposal for 'free ride to women in Delhi Metro' from Delhi government https://t.co/7dqrHMKbIb

— OpIndia.com (@OpIndia_com) June 27, 2019

Whether this scheme will come into effect or not, only time will tell. What are your thoughts on the proposal? Do you think it would achieve what it is promising or will it just prove to be another policy that increases the government’s debt?