Hyderabad: Men travelling in women’s coaches is one of the biggest menaces faced by MMTS female passengers. It is the second-most common travel related offence after trespassing on railway tracks.
Interestingly, nuisance by eunuchs ran shoulder-to-shoulder with crossing tracks and male and female passengers both feel harassed by them. Unauthorised hawkers were also found to be a big cause of concern.
With the intensified drives, 150 to 200 people are being booked during each special drive lasting three to five days. So far, however, apart from fines, no serious punishment has been meted out to the offenders.
Under the Railway Act, punishment of up to six-month imprisonment or a fine can be levied. Meanwhile, Railway authorities say that after the recent incident of a girl being stabbed in broad daylight, they are following a zero-tolerance policy on eve-teasers as well as men travelling in women’s coaches.
While SCR has increased surveillance on stations as well as on trains to thwart anti-social elements as well as unauthorised persons, more than 500 men were fined for entering women’s coaches last month.
“There are men who enter women’s reserved coaches habitually although these have come down with increased checking. There were a few eve-teasers who used to regularly hover around the ladies’ compartments till very recently,” said MMTS commuter Vaishnavi Rao.
“Eve-teasers and other offenders are being taken very seriously and each one is produced before the Metropolitan Magistrate Railway Court for punishment. Also, checks have been intensified and regular offenders are likely to get tougher punishments apart from fines,” said a senior official.
