Couples adamant to vacate ladies seat in 'Hyderabad Metro Rail'
If someone complains against the couples, the women accompanying the men insist that the male commuter should sit along with them.
Hyderabad: The incidents of men entering into women’s coach reported on the Hyderabad Metro Rail Whatsapp number have been mostly found to be couples. It is often the wife-husband and girlfriend-boyfriend couples who tend to violate the only women rule.
L&T HMRL (Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited) had introduced Whatsapp number 7032224242 to allow passengers to lodge complaints if men enter the ladies section.
According to officials, if someone complains against the couples, the wom-en accompanying the men turn slightly adamant and insist that the male commuter should sit along with them.
In a bid to ensure the safety of women in the public transport, L&T HMRL said that if the seats reserved for women in Metro Rail trains were occupied by male passengers, they could be fined up to '500. However, no fines have been imposed so far.
Hyderabad Metro Rail demarcates the ladies section with a pink satin ribbon both inside the train and in the station. Prominent floor stickers read ‘Ladies Only’ and the seat mentions ‘Reser-ved for Ladies’. But these labels do not keep the men away.
Following the measures, passengers are often disciplined and do not occupy the ladies. Consequently, even though people are sending messages, the number of messages received is reportedly not high.
According to the protocol, when the officials are alerted on the Whatsapp number regarding a male passenger in a women’s zone, the message will go to the next station master who will enter the train and ask the violators to vacate the seats.
However, the passengers were not fined as they are not resisting vacating the seats if necessary, pointed an official.