By Matovu Abdallah Twaha www.gulftoday.ae
DUBAI: The highest number of Metro passengers fined, were for eating or chewing gum, offences many said they were ignorant about.
In 2011, 10,229 violations were registered, “majority of whom violated the rule prohibiting eating and drinking in certain designated areas,” the director of Rail Operations, Eng. Ramadan Abdullah Mohammed told The Gulf Today on Sunday.
He declined to reveal the revenue generated through these fines, but each violation is understood to entail a fine of anything between Dhs100 and Dhs2,000.
Each infringement of the 13 rules in category A entails a fine of Dhs100.
These include some obscure ones such as “using lifts or escalators in an improper manner” and “causing inconvenience, discomfort or distress to other passengers in any way whatsoever.”
Incidentally, it is also in this category that prohibition of eating and drinking in certain areas is included.
A more stringent fine of Dhs300 is slammed on whoever is found sleeping in waiting areas, shelters or any place within a public transport organisation’s premises.
Interestingly, many people are unaware of this rule, which has left many in violation of the same.
“I thought such human weaknesses would be forgiven especially, concerning passengers who return home tired after the chores of the day. I was not aware of a fine for such an offence,” said Dominic T. of Karama.
On some Metro stations, the rules are pinned on the exit doors, but despite this, some “frequent” passengers such as Ali Salim of Naif “have never seen it.”
In a dozen rules under Category B, each violation entails a penalty of Dhs200, and it is in this category that the ban on smoking and carrying alcoholic drinks is included.
Whereas using forged NOL cards entails a fine of Dhs500, the highest penalty of Dhs2,000 is reserved for anyone trying to operate “any facility or device related to security or safety, including emergency exits, without valid reason.” More info
