Measures to curb fare evasion in Metro Rail

The metro rail has given a relief to the residents of the capital in terms of commute. Due to its ability to cover distances in a short time, it has quickly gained popularity. With a travel time of 20-40 minutes, people can commute from one end of the city to the other, marking a revolutionary change in public transportation.
However, complaints have arisen that some passengers are exploiting loopholes in the metro rail's ticketing system to evade fares. According to regulations, once an MRT pass is punched, a passenger is allowed to travel for a maximum of one hour. But some passengers are completing longer journeys by paying for only a partial distance.
For example, if a passenger wants to travel from Dhaka University station to Uttara North, the fare should be Tk 90, while for MRT users, it is Tk 81. Ideally, the passenger should purchase a ticket for the full fare. However, some passengers board the metro from Secretariat station and, instead of taking a direct train to Uttara North, first take a train towards Motijheel without
punching their card. Since the fare from Secretariat to Motijheel is Tk 20 and from Motijheel to Uttara North is Tk 100, the system records the journey as being from Secretariat to Uttara North, charging only Tk 90 instead of the actual Tk 120. This systematic loophole allows them to unfairly save Tk 30, which many have already taken advantage of.
This practice not only leads to revenue loss for the government but also creates confusion in determining the actual passenger load.
Therefore, the metro rail authorities should take effective measures to prevent this fare evasion. Implementation of technological tools and modern travel control systems could help solve this problem.
I urge the authorities concerned totake prompt and specific actions to address this issue.

Afifa Jahan Pushpo, Student
University of Dhaka
jahanafia44@gmail.com