Bengaluru Metro fines commuters for overstaying at stations

The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) is penalising commuters who spend more than the allotted 20 minutes at a station, which has surprised many. However, authorities stated that this was not a new rule.

A passenger was fined ₹50 using their smart card at a metro station. When he approached the metro official near the Automated Fare Collection (AFC) gate to inquire, he was told that the penalty was for exceeding the allowed time limit by spending 25 minutes on the metro concourse, which was five minutes longer than the permitted duration.

BMRCL has long enforced penalties on commuters who stay at a station for more than 20 minutes; this is not a new rule. However, many people are unaware of this, and recent incidents have sparked outrage.

The passenger had recently disembarked at the Vijayanagar metro station during heavy rains. He chose to wait at the station and charge his phone, as his battery was running low. After the rain stopped, he went to the exit gates and swiped his smart card. However, he discovered that he had been charged an extra ₹50 on top of his travel fare.

“I immediately approached the ticket counter and inquired about the deduction. I was unaware of the penalty until the metro authorities explained it to me. I asked why information about this rule isn’t displayed at all metro stations,” he said.

However, BMRCL officials stated that this rule has been in place since the metro began operations in the city. “It is implemented to prevent overcrowding at the stations,” a senior BMRCL official explained.

BMRCL has become very strict with the implementation of this rule and no excuses such as heavy rain or phone ran out of charge will be entertained.

When asked about public awareness of these rules, officials stated that they would ensure that information about them is displayed in metro stations. People can also find information about this rule on the BMRCL’s official website.