Hike penalty by 2500% for offences in Metro: CISF

New Delhi: The CISF has favoured a 2500 per cent hike in penalites related to offences against women and other criminal activities on the Delhi Metro network. The present penalities for such offences are as low as Rs 150-200 and the CISF wants this to be revised to Rs 5,000. The force has written to the Union Home Ministry in this regard suggesting a mammoth increase in a number of penalities for offences that are identified under the Delhi Metro Railway (Operations and Maintenance) Act, 2002.

"We have written to the Union Home Ministry in this regard as it is our controlling authority," CISF chief Rajiv said. The central police force has stepped up its vigil on the Delhi Metro, especially against those men who travel in coaches reserved for women, in the wake of the gangrape of a young girl last month in the national capital. The CISF Director General (DG) said the current penalities for offences like men entering in women coaches and other illegal entries were "very less" and that they should be revised. At present, the fine/penalty for creating nuisance or unlawful entry under Delhi Metro rules ranges from Rs 150-200. Senior officials working in Delhi Metro said the Home Ministry may communicate this demand of the central police force to the Urban Development Ministry which is the nodal authority for the operations and administration of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC). The CISF has also asked for a revision on atleast four-five other offences which it is mandated to deal with directly in Delhi Metro. These offences include taking offensive material like weapons and explosives in the Metro rail network and premises and obstructing officials on duty, among others. The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has pressed in more plainclothes and uniformed security personnel to patrol the trains and platforms recently. PTI