BMRCL cracks down on Namma Metro passengers violating Covid protocol

The number of passengers is also increasing steadily notwithstanding the 50 per cent capacity restriction that the government has imposed due to the Covid pandemic.

The Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) will strictly implement the Covid Standard Operating Protocol (SoP) in Namma Metro. The special officers who will travel in the metro coaches on all the four lines in the city will impose fines on passengers who are violating the SoP, according to a report in Kannada Prabha.

The daily number of commuters has gone up from 1 lakh people to 1.1 lakh people per day. (PTI File Photo)

The drive which began last Tuesday took note of passengers not wearing the mask or even not wearing it right, not maintaining social distance inside the coaches or even resorting to crowding in the Metro stations.

“We are left with no alternative but to use penal provisions to keep our coaches free of Covid virus. Our objective is to give safe service to the passengers,” said BMRCL Public Relations officer B L Yeshwanth Chavan.

The BMRCL collected fines from 189 passengers which is the highest since the drive began. Till now the BMRCL has imposed fine on 3,084 people and collected ₹7,63,070 thus far.

According to BMRCL Executive Director A S Shankar, the revenue of the BMRCL from regular operations on a day to day basis is to the extent of ₹25-30 lakh in comparison with ₹1.16 crore the corporation earned before the onset of the pandemic

The number of passengers is also increasing steadily notwithstanding the 50 per cent capacity restriction that the government has imposed due to the Covid pandemic. The daily number of commuters has gone up from 1 lakh people to 1.1 lakh people per day. It was 1.5 lakh people per day before the second wave of the pandemic.

The BMRCL top brass is in touch with the government for increasing the number of passengers on metro lines. Sources stated that BMRCL has also assured the government to take all measures to make the journey safe for every passenger.