Despite fines, men still travel in ladies' coach

Men continue to travel in the ladies’ coach and the act tops the number of offences for which commuters have been fined since June, reveals the list of penalties imposed at Metro stations under Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (Operation And Maintenance) Act 2002.

A total of 4,106 commuters have been fined Rs 500 each between June and August, said a senior official with DMRC. Creating nuisance on the Metro premises comes second with 972 passengers being fined Rs 200 each, according to the list of penalties, a copy of which is with Deccan Herald.

Managing Director Mangu Singh said there is a need to teach people travelling etiquette. “We try to maintain cleanliness and give commuters quality services. But we need people’s participation to be able to do so,” he added.

Women have always been complaining about men travelling in the coach reserved for them. “When we ask them to leave the coach they give us stares and most of the times they refuse. When we tell them they will be fined for travelling in the ladies’ coach, they say they will pay the fine,” said Ritu Narang, an undergraduate student.

Delhi University student Parvati Naraynan said, “If we ask them to leave the ladies’ coach they say that we also travel in their (general) coaches, so why can’t they travel in our coach.”

Some 488 people have been penalised and fined Rs 500 each for spitting on the DMRC premises, and 167 fined Rs 500 each for obstructing an official on duty.

Some 183 passengers have been fined Rs 200 for being drunk. At present, if a person is found is drunk he is not allowed to enter a Metro station. “He is sent away from the frisking area only,” the official said.

People travelling on Red Line from Dilshad Garden to Rithala complain that there is lack of staff to check the menace.

“Almost every station on Line 1 there is shortage of Metro personnel so men find is convenient to enter the ladies’ coach,” said Sunita Thakur, a private firm employee who takes the Metro from Jhilmil station to Pragati Maidan.

But Delhi Metro officials said there is enough staff deployed at every station.

J&K help desk 

 The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has set up a facilitation counter-cum-help desk at Terminal 3 of Indira Gandhi International Airport to assist J&K flood victims returning to Delhi.

“It’s an effort to help victims of the devastating floods in Jammu and Kashmir so that they don’t face any inconvenience when they arrive at IGI Airport in Delhi,” said a senior Delhi Metro official in a statement.

According to DMRC, officials posted at the help desk are providing all necessary details to the flood victims about the Delhi Metro network. 

“They are also guiding them to the IGI Airport Metro station as per their requirements,” the official added.