New Delhi Aug 2 (IANS) The Delhi Metro s revenues increased by more than 73 per cent in the last four years the Rajya Sabha was informed on Thursday.
In a written reply given by Union Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Puri the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) was shown to have earned Rs 1 505.84 crore Rs 1 649.19 crore Rs 1 765.38 crore and Rs 2 612.80 crore in four years from 2014 to 2018.
As the figures show the DMRC s revenue rose by 73.55 per cent in these four years and nearly 50 per cent of it was earned by the transporter between year 2016-17 and 2017-18.
The major jump in the revenue was in 2017 when the corporation doubled the fare and also when major expansion was done in the metro network under Phase III in the form of sections of Pink Line Magenta Line Violent Line and Green Line.
The Minister told the House that the average daily ridership in the Delhi Metro is 26 lakh.
In another reply the Minister told the House that DMRC s 150 km expansion stipulated in Phase III will be completed by 2020 of which 98 km has been made operational so far.
"Out of total 150 km 98 km has been made operational another 49 km will be commissioned by June 2019 and the rest 3 km by December 2020 " he said.
According to the DMRC the 8.53 km-long Pink Line stretch between Durgabhai Deshmukh South Campus station to Lajpat Nagar will be opened for public on August 6. Another section of the Line -- from Majlis Park to Durgabai Deshmukh South Campus (21.565 km) -- was started in March this year.

--IANS vn/qd/sed