Drunk passengers top list of Namma Metro violations

Tipsy passengers and mischief mongers account for most of the offences on Namma Metro, according to the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL).

Trespassers and those interfacing with means of communication on the train or misusing alarm come next in the list of violators on Metro that is now an integral part of commuters' life since it began operations more than a decade ago.

Over the last 10 years, 1,852 troublemakers have been caught on Metro trains or at stations and a penalty of Rs 4,18,445 has been collected from them.

As per data accessed by DH, 1,712 drunk passengers and 'nuisance makers' were fined Rs 3,35,755 over the last decade, while 94 trespassers coughed up Rs 23,050 as penalties.

The number of drunk passengers entering the Metro increases towards the weekend, officials say.

"We can't prevent people from entering the Metro train even if they are found drunk. We can only keep a watch on them and make sure they don't create any nuisance to fellow passengers," A S Shankar, executive director (operation and maintenance), BMRCL, said.

Anjum Parvez, Managing Director, BMRCL, told DH that the problem is more at M G Road and Indiranagar stations. "The operational team keeps a tab of the footfalls and increases vigilance accordingly. We also have mobile teams that keep watch and marshals in plainclothes mingle with the crowds as a part of surveillance."

Speaking about unlawful entry, Shankar said that there have been instances where two people rush in together, and in such cases one of the two would have lost his or her token yet try to gain entry. "They will be caught on the spot and won't be allowed to enter," he said.

But the extent of violations are slowly coming down, said Shankar. Data on annual tally of offenders and fines collected was not immediately available.

"We spotted unruly passengers before the ladies coach was started, but after that the cases are slowly dwindling. People usually take time to understand the norms on a Metro train. It is only awareness and education that can get them to fall in line," added Shankar.

Anjum pointed out that anybody who is found violating the rules will never go unnoticed because the cameras inside the train and those on the platform are continuously monitored in the control room.

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