By Andy Sambidge www.arabianbusiness.com
Fines of AED100 will be handed out to anyone caught eating or drinking on the Dubai Metro, it was reported on Tuesday.
And penalties will rise to AED500 for offences such as destroying, damaging or tampering with devices, equipment or seats of public transport facilities and services.
A AED200 fine awaits any passenger who tries to use the metro system without a valid ticket.
“Anybody found violating the public transport use rules will face a fine for it is important to ensure comfortable travel for every passenger and protection of public transport property and facilities,” Mattar Al Tayer, chairman and executive director of the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority, said in comments published by UAE daily Gulf News.
A list of fines has been approved by Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and chairman of the Executive Council.
Al Tayer told the paper: “We cannot allow passengers to damage the mass transport and its facilities, including buses, trains, stations and other services.”
He added that those involved in vandalism and damaging the Metro, public buses and the water buses would be dealt with.
“Safety and security of passengers is our top priority and there will be no compromise on it,” he added.
He said that apart from more than 660 trained police officers specially trained to protect the passengers and the transport system, there will be officials from the RTA and the operator Serco to ensure safety of passengers and the transport facilities.
