According to the official data from the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), a total of 1,647 penalties were issued for creating a nuisance under Section 59 of the Metro Railways (Operations and Maintenance) Act between April and the end of June. This period saw over 1,600 individuals booked for various disturbances, including making reels on metro premises, reflecting a three percent increase compared to the same timeframe last year, as reported by officials on Thursday.
A senior DMRC official mentioned that a separate calculation for passengers penalized solely for making reels was unavailable. Creating a nuisance encompasses actions such as sitting on the floor of the train and eating inside the train, among other offenses. The number of penalties issued for creating a nuisance this year reached 1,647, while the figure for the same period last year stood at 1,600. The monthly breakdown of penalties issued by the DMRC is as follows: 610 in April, 518 in May, and 519 in June. The corresponding numbers for the previous year were 528 in April, 485 in May, and 587 in June.
DMRC Managing Director Vikas Kumar, in a conversation with news agency PTI, confirmed that they penalize individuals for creating a nuisance within the metro area. He explained that they employ various measures to prevent such incidents on the metro premises. There is a provision for penalizing anyone who causes a disturbance, and this is an ongoing process aimed at discouraging such behavior. However, Kumar highlighted the challenge of having insufficient manpower to monitor every corner of the metro, considering the vast number of passengers, which reaches up to 67 lakh daily. Despite these challenges, CCTV surveillance helps in identifying incidents on the premises.
To further address this issue, the DMRC has displayed posters at several metro stations, advising passengers against making reels and causing discomfort. In April, following the emergence of a video showing two women applying colors to each other inside a train, the DMRC requested a thorough investigation by the Delhi Police. This video, which surfaced ahead of Holi, was widely criticized by commuters. At that time, the DMRC stated that it was conducting various campaigns, both online and offline, to discourage passengers from engaging in activities that might inconvenience others. Additionally, mobile checking squads are occasionally deployed to curb inappropriate activities.
