The Hyderabad Metro Rail has finally spelled out its 'liquor policy' and said that commuters would be allowed to carry upto two bottles on the Metro, only if they were sealed.
Officials also said that 'heavily drunk' and unruly people will not be allowed to board, and can even be 'de-boarded', if they are caught during the commute.
Footage from the CCTV cameras will be used as video proof, in case of any issues.
The Times of India reported that boarding the Metro ‘in a state of intoxication’ is an offence under the Metro Railways (maintenance and operations) Act 2002, and can attract a penalty of up to Rs 500, forfeiture of the fare/ ticket/ metro pass and being de-boarded.
“Passengers can carry a maximum of two sealed liquor bottles. Open bottles are not allowed and drinking in the Metro Rail or premises is not allowed...Drunk people are not allowed by Metro as a policy. But if one is not misbehaving, he or she may not be disallowed at the discretion of the metro officials," the ToI report quotes NVS Reddy, managing director, HMRL as saying.
Last month, officials released a list of Dos and Don’t’s for passengers seeking to use the Metro Rail.
Besides stating that chewing tobacco or pan was prohibited, officials also prohibited smoking, drinking and photography inside the Metro Rail premises.
The list also stated that a person could not linger on at metro rail stations after alighting from a train or squat at a station. Pets are also not allowed inside Metro rail premises.
Billed as the world's biggest metro rail project in the Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode, it was taken up in 2012 at a cost of Rs 14,132 crore.
The original construction period for the 71.16 km elevated metro ended in July this year but the project could not be completed due to various reasons and the developer was granted 17-month extension.