By Ashfaq Ahmed, Chief Reporter www.gulfnews.com
Dubai: Some Metro passengers have been found cheating – they were caught travelling in the Gold Class after paying for Silver Class.
“The Metro inspectors manning the trains and the stations have caught a number of people travelling in the Gold Class while holding the Nol Silver Card, which is valid for economy class only,” a senior official at the Rail Agency of the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) said.
He said it was expected to have passengers using Gold Class while having Nol Silver Cards, but some people have been found cheating in an “innovative” way.
“We have caught some passengers who were in possession of both the Nol Silver and the Nol Gold Cards. They pay their fare with the Nol Silver Card, but travel in the Gold Class and show the Nol Gold Card when inspectors check them while travelling in the Gold Class.”
However, the inspectors found out the passengers hadn’t used their Gold Cards to pay the fare and were keeping them just to show them during random inspections.
More than 40 passengers have been issued fines so far for using the Gold Class after paying for Silver Class. The fine is Dh200.
Passengers, the official said, cannot cheat inspectors because they can easily check whether a passenger gets into the train after paying with the Silver Card or the Gold Card as they carry hand-held electronic tracking devices for ticket checking.
Another senior RTA official said staff at the stations and inside the trains are now vigilant and ready to issue fines for any violations.
Before issuing the fine, an inspector asks a violator for a picture ID. “Anyone who fails to produce any ID will be handed over to the security staff as part of the security procedure,” the official said.
There are about 31 fines ranging from Dh100 to Dh2,000. The maximum fine will be issued for pushing the emergency button.
The fines apply on all modes of transport including the Metro, public buses, taxis and water transport.
Guidelines: How to use the Metro
– If standing, hold on to one of the handrails to avoid falling
– Please give up you seat to the elderly or to those in greater need
– Do not use the emergency call points and emergency stop buttons without any real emergency
– Touch your card to the card reader machine and walk through briskly
– Do not loiter within the gate area
– Please carry the children under five to avoid the gates closing on them.
– Do not run
– Do not crowd and obstruct walkways in the stations
-Stand aside and let arriving passengers alight before you board
– Do not attempt to board once the doors are closing.
