Spitting or littering at railway stations in Mumbai will be a costly affair from Monday as the acts will invite a fine of Rs 500. Western Railway (WR) officials have asked station masters at 30 of its stations to take Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Swachch Bharat Swachch Rail initiative to the next level.
The WR spends around Rs 3.5 crore on cleanliness of compartments and other commuter premises annually. It has around 30 suburban stations on its line with variations in the number of platforms, as well toilets on each of these stations.
In an order brought out by the WR on May 18, the station masters of Dadar, Bandra Terminus, Andheri and Borivali have been given a target of catching at least 10 commuters for violation per day. Under Section 198 of the Railways Act a commuter will be fined Rs 500 if they are found dirtying the premises.
The station masters of the remaining 27 stations have been given the target of catching at least five such violators on their watch. All of them will be held accountable if they fail to reach the set target.
“The fact is that keeping Mumbai railway premises clean is a big task. We are trying to make the passengers more aware of their social responsibility by using technology and inculcating sensitivity toward the issue,” an official said.
