Fine on overstay in Metro station linked to ticket

To decongest Metro stations, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has found a unique way. Since a passenger can stay for 170 minutes irrespective of number of stations he/ she has to travel, the Metro has linked the stay in a Metro station to the amount paid for the ticket.

To decongest Metro stations, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has found a unique way. Since a passenger can stay for 170 minutes irrespective of number of stations he/ she has to travel, the Metro has linked the stay in a Metro station to the amount paid for the ticket.

If a passenger has purchased a ticket for Rs 18 or less, he/she is entitled to stay in Metro only for 65 minutes. This is being done to discourage couples from spending time at Metro stations. (HT File Photo)

For instance, if a passenger has purchased a ticket for Rs 18 or less, he/she is entitled to stay in Metro only for 65 minutes. Sources said that this is being done to discourage couples from spending time at Metro stations.

“Keeping in view the gradual increase in the length of the Metro network, the maximum permissible time limit for stay within the system for commuters is being revised from 170 to 180 minutes. The new time limit will be implemented from Monday. Additionally, in order to control overcrowding inside the stations, we have decided to rationalise the maximum time limit of stay in station premises permissible to each Metro commuter according to the length of their journey,” said a DMRC spokesperson.

The maximum permissible time will now be divided into three time slots – passenger paying up to Rs 18 will be permitted to stay for 65 minutes, passenger paying up to Rs 23 will be able to stay for 100 minutes and passengers paying above Rs 18 will be permitted to stay for 180 minutes.

“The new time limit has been fixed after calculating the maximum possible time that a commuter can take to travel specific distances. This measure is expected to reduce the crowding at Metro stations up to a certain extent,” the spokesperson added.

Violators will not be fined till January 31 but from February 1, DMRC will start fining Rs 10 for each hour. The stations covered within the three time slots from each station will be displayed at all the stations so that the commuters clearly know within how much time they should exit from the system based on the destination they are travelling to.

Every month, more than one lakh commuters are penalised for overstaying in the system. “Penalties of Rs 10 per extra hour (maximum Rs 50 as per DMRC business rules) will be imposed (as per existing business rules) for any breach of the time limit from February 1 onwards,” the spokesperson added.