Cops to patrol Delhi Metro, check ‘objectionable’ behaviour

The move comes after a series of videos from the Delhi Metro surfaced online, the most recent being one in which a man was seen masturbating inside a Metro coach

After a series of “objectionable” videos from the Delhi Metro surfaced online, the most recent being one in which a man was seen masturbating inside a Metro coach, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) said it is in the process of increasing security and surveillance and had asked its flying squads to keep a tab on such activities, according to officials aware of the development.

Officials said that police will also soon be deployed in Metro coaches – both in uniforms and civil clothes. DMRC said it also plans to utilise the CCTV cameras installed inside the Metro coaches more frequently to identify objectionable behaviour or to identify people making videos, which may inconvenience other passengers. (Sanchit Khanna/HT Photo)

Officials said that police will also soon be deployed in Metro coaches – both in uniforms and civil clothes. DMRC said it also plans to utilise the CCTV cameras installed inside the Metro coaches more frequently to identify objectionable behaviour or to identify people making videos, which may inconvenience other passengers.

While there are cameras inside the Metro coaches at present, the old coaches of the Red Line Metro do not have cameras. However, officials said the CCTV installation process is already underway inside coaches that do not have them.

“We are looking to improve security and surveillance by implementing several measures. This includes patrolling inside trains,” said Anuj Dayal, principal executive director, corporate communications, DMRC.

“There are CCTV cameras in the coaches as well on all lines except some old trains on the Red line, which are also being upgraded with CCTVs in the ongoing refurbishment process. These cameras, along with the cameras at Metro stations, will be used to monitor objectionable activities,” Dayal added.

Earlier in April, videos had emerged of a woman travelling in the Metro wearing what people claimed to be “inappropriate clothing”. More recently, on April 28, the Delhi Police lodged an FIR after a video, where a man was seen masturbating in a coach, surfaced online.

However, DMRC was unable to verify when the incident took place, or whether it happened inside a Delhi Metro coach. The same day, DMRC appealed to commuters to report any “objectionable” behaviour on their helpline - 155370 and asked commuters to conduct themselves responsibly.

“We request the commuters to conduct themselves responsibly while traveling by Metro. If the other commuters notice any objectionable behaviour, they should report the matter immediately on the DMRC helpline, detailing the corridor, station and time, etc. DMRC will intensify the number of flying squads comprising Metro and security staff to monitor such behaviour and necessary action under relevant provisions of law shall be taken,” DMRC had earlier said in a statement.

“Filming reels, dance videos, or any such activities that may cause inconvenience to the passengers are strictly prohibited inside the Delhi Metro,” DMRC said in a statement in March.

Metro officials said they received six complaints on their helpline in March where people reported inappropriate behaviour, or reported people shooting videos or reels inside Metro coaches. In April, it received seven such complaints.

“In the last two months, there were nine instances of inappropriate behaviour reported in the Metro, three instances of either short videos or dancing videos being recorded, and one complaint of a female passenger not wearing “appropriate clothing,” a DMRC official said, requesting anonymity.

He added that the flying squads were earlier being used to check unlawful entry of men in the women’s coaches. Now, the squads will also track instances of inappropriate behaviour. DMRC has five flying squads, each consisting of three to four members, which keep moving across the Metro network.