Metro cracks whip against premises rules violaters

New Delhi, Nov 9 (UNI) Tough times are ahead for those who flout rules on Metro premises at the drop of a hat.

In the face of a large number of cases of violation of rules on Metro premises, the DMRC administration has authorised station personnel to directly impose fines up to Rs 500 and realise penalties for offences such as squatting, littering, nuisance, traveling with undervalued tokens and obstructing officials on duty.

There have been over 16,000 cases of violations such as squatting, travel with undervalued tokens, nuisance, littering, refusal to provide reserved seats to women, senior citizens and the physically challenged detected by DMRC ''flying squads'' which have been conducting surprise checks since July this year.

The DMRC personnel so far had been counseling offenders or handing them over to the police for producing before a Metropolitan Magistrate who was empowered to impose fines and imprisonment. As there is only one Magistrate who has jurisdiction for the entire Metro network, it hampered the quick imposition of fines.

To deal with this problem, the DMRC administration decided to grant power on one Metro personnel at each of the 62 stations under the Delhi Metro Railway (Operation&Maintenance) Act, 2002, to impose and collect fines for offences on the Metro premises, including parking areas. The authorised person will be Station Manager and, in his absence, the Station Controller on duty.

The new provisions will come into effect immediately.

Offenders will be issued proper receipts for the fines collected and any person who refuses to pay the fine will be handed over to the police to be produced before the Metropolitan Magistrate.

As per the provisions, drunkenness, nuisance, spitting, squatting or quarreling will be punishable by a fine of Rs 200, forfeiture of pass, ticket and removal from carriage. Those found travelling without token or pass or beyond authorised distance can be fined an excess charge of Rs 50, besides difference in amount of fare.

Offenders found writing, pasting and others in a compartment can be removed and those refusing to be removed can be fined Rs 500. Unauthorised sale of ticket will attract a fine of Rs 200.

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