BENGALURU: In a bizarre incident at Rajarajeshwari Nagar Metro Station, a six-year-old girl was hit on the chest by the automatic fare collection (AFC) gates just as she moved through them. Around 7pm, Ashika was returning from Baiyappanahalli to Rajarajeshwari Nagar with her parents and a family member, who crossed the gate. When Ashika followed her, the flaps closed, hitting her.
She burst out crying, and had to be pacified by her mother and Metro staffers. One of the staffers opened the access gate reserved for staffers and emergency purposes, to let the girl pass. The attempt by a few commuters to bypass the 3-ft ticket rule for children is cited by Metro officials as a possible reason for the accident.
Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has a rule that a ticket is compulsory for children above the height of 3 feet. There are markers highlighting the specific height at ticketing counters at all stations. “There is a possibility that the family did not buy a ticket for the child, who is clearly above 3 feet in height. The kid was made to quickly cross the gate after the adult, but the gates closed,” a senior
official explained.
Many parents carry their children on their shoulders when crossing the AFC gates, said another official. “The reason for this could be tailgating, where a person rushes along with another through the entry and exit gates to avoid paying for a ticket,” said an official.