Singapore MRT fines passengers 500 dollars for drinking water or eating on trains
A board inside Singapore's MRT carries a 500-dollar fine, about Rs 37,000, for anyone seen eating or drinking water on board.
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Most people have travelled by metro at some point, and the usual rules are well known: let passengers alight before boarding, do not litter, do not talk loudly, and do not touch anything suspicious. But there is one metro in the world where even plain water cannot be drunk. Anyone caught drinking it is fined about Rs 37,000. It is hard to believe, but the rule is said to be true.
The information comes from a video from the Instagram account anu_amarp. A Marathi youth living in Singapore makes the videos. He has shown an unusual rule on the Singapore metro. The video shows a board inside the train stating that anyone seen eating or drinking water on the metro will be fined 500 dollars.
The 500 Singapore dollars is about Rs 37,000 in Indian currency. It is hard to imagine paying such a sum merely for drinking water. Singapore's metro is called the MRT, or Mass Rapid Transit. Rules on cleanliness there are very strict. Passengers cannot eat, drink water, talk loudly or smoke. Even an ordinary water bottle must not be opened. Breaking the rule brings a fine and, at times, further legal action.
The question is what a passenger should do if they suddenly feel thirsty during the journey, or if someone feels dizzy. People asked many such questions. Information on this is given on the official website of the Singapore metro.
According to the website, the rule exists to keep the metro free of litter and clean. If water spills on the floor, someone could slip and have an accident. Handling food and drink is also difficult during crowded hours. Metro stations in Singapore are very close to each other, so passengers do not have to wait long. They say a passenger can get off at the next station and drink water. Even so, many people find the rule too strict.
There is no such rule on the Mumbai and Pune metros. Passengers can drink water there, and are only asked not to litter. Singapore gives the highest importance to discipline and cleanliness, which is why it has such strict laws.
