Bengaluru Metro to carry out physical pat-down checks, fine passengers consuming chewable tobacco

Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) on April 23 said that it will intensify patrolling during non-peak hours across its network to take action against passengers found consuming chewable tobacco products.

The move is aimed at addressing public grievances over the use of chewable tobacco products by some passengers, which often leads to spitting and littering in trains and metro stations, according to a statement from BMRCL.

The decision comes in the wake of a viral social media post by Madhan Reddy (@MKC1_Reddy), who confronted a co-passenger for consuming pan masala in a Metro train near Sampige Road station on the Green Line on April 18.

“People started eating #panmasala in #NammaMetro. At 10:00 am near Sampige Road, I questioned him & made him drink water immediately to swallow it, avoiding spitting in the metro premises. Looks like we need pan masala scanners at security check,” Reddy wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

In its statement, BMRCL said: “Since possession of such substances cannot be detected through metal detectors, BMRCL has decided to implement random physical pat-down checks at all metro stations. Platform security guards will be sensitised to identify such violations, and the central security surveillance room has been instructed to monitor passenger behaviour and immediately alert platform security staff upon detecting any infractions.”