Express News Service
BENGALURU: Despite Karnataka Energy Regulatory Commission’s move on Monday to slash the energy tariff by `1 per unit clubbed with its removal of the Time of Day (ToD) tariff imposed on Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), its managing director Mahendra Jain has ruled out any revision in Metro fares.
“The fares are fairly competitive now and there is no proposal to revise them as of now.”
However, BMRCL now stands to save 18.36% on its monthly electricity bills. The energy bills now stand to be reduced to `4.51 crore per month from `5.52 crore. The ToD refers to the higher tariff per unit imposed on trains that are run during daytime.R M Dhoke, Director, Rolling Stock (Electrical)-cum-Operations and Maintenance (O&M), told The New Indian Express that the removal of the ToD tariff marked a big step for Metro operations.
Executive Director, O&M, AS Shankar said that BMRCL’s electricity consumption came to 65 lakh units per month. “This includes consumption of power when running of trains, lighting of stations and air-conditioning inside stations and trains,” he said. BMRCL’s operational revenue, fare and non-fare revenue for the last six months average `29 crore per month, said an official. Hence, one-fifth of its revenue goes towards energy bills.
Welcoming the move, BMRCL managing director Jain said, “It is an environment-friendly move to incentivise electric vehicular, non-emission based mobility solutions.” Dhoke said the 4 % additional traction charges levied by BESCOM has also been exempted."We will further save `20 lakh a month in addition to `1 crore."
NO IMPACT ON BWSSB
Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board which pays `42 crore towards electricity bills mainly caused due to pumping of water to the City from a distance of 100 km, will not be impacted in any way. P N Ravindra, Chief Engineer-Cauvery, BWSSB, told TNIE, “BWSSB is classified as an essential service. We are already charged a subsidised flat rate of `4.85 per unit. So, the reduction in tariff will not apply to us.”
