Kolkata: Try opening metro doors, spend up to six months in jail

KOLKATA: Next time you try to pry open the doors of a Metro coach to get on board, you may spend up to six months in jail.
After two days of deliberations, Metro Railway has decided to enforce provisions of the Railways Act that imposes a minimum fine of Rs 500 and a maximum penalty of Rs 1,000 in fine and/or six months in jail for obstructing railway staff from performing their duties.
The decision comes four days after 66-year-old Kasba resident Sajal Kanjilal died after being dragged along the platform and into the tunnel by a train with his fingers stuck between the doors of a coach at Park Street station. That Kanjilal’s death was not lesson enough was evident on Monday evening after a Metiabruz resident was caught by Railway Protection Force (RPF) at the same station while attempting to force open the doors of a coach. He was asked to cough up a fine of Rs 3,000 but was allowed to leave after paying Rs 500 and tendering an apology.
On Wednesday, commercial staff and RPF personnel were directed to impose Section 146 of the Railways Act stringently. “That is the only way to prevent accidents. Staff present at the spot will decide how much punishment the offender deserves,” Metro Railway CPRO Indrani Banerjee said. For instance, if a person puts both his hands and feet in between the closing doors with a concerted effort to open it and stop the train, thereby endangering his life and obstructing train running, we may press for a six-month jail term as well as a fine of Rs 1,000. We shall put up notices and make announcements at all stations,” Metro Railway CPRO Indrani Banerjee said.
Extremely distressed by the negative publicity that Saturday’s incident has brought to the country’s oldest underground mass rapid transit system, Metro officials have also decided to get details of the offenders published. At a later stage, rogues galleries with photographs and names of repeat offenders may appear at stations to cause further embarrassment.
“People are behaving responsibly now because of vigil at the stations. The details of the accident are also fresh in their minds and most are not taking risks. However, we are sure that a couple of offenders will be apprehended every day as commuters start returning to their old ways. The new penal measure will help us profile passengers and create a database of those more prone to committing such offences,” an official said.
Senior officials of Eastern and South Eastern Railways that have headquarters in Kolkata hailed the decision saying trains were obstructed the most in Bengal and imposition of Railways Act, even against a few offenders, may act as a deterrent.