'Whistleblowers' of Bangalore Metro

Guess, who is the most insecure person in Bangalore Metro. Definitely not the passengers; it's the private security guards, who control the crowds at the stations. It may sound as an exaggeration, but their fears are all too real. 

What the guards are constantly worried about is -- not if someone is sneaking in an explosive but -- whether someone will just fall off the platform on to the electrified rails, or if someone thinks Metro station is just like any other railway station and decides to cross over to the other platform by cutting across the rails. 

The fear is writ quite large on the guards' faces. And, it takes an annoyingly audible expression in the form of frequent blowing of the whistle to keep people away from the edge of the platform. Quite irritated, and puzzled as to why they should do it even if there are only half a dozen people on the platform, and none of them are anywhere close to the edge, I have been trying to understand the rationale behind this exercise. 

And, I have consistently got the same answer from the guards: "Sir, just imagine if one person just slips off the platform, falls on the rails and gets electrocuted... I will be held responsible. I will lose my job, and I don't know what all will follow... It's my responsibility to make sure that such a tragedy won't ever happen."

On a serious note, such responses have been an eye-opener. One, how much Metro values human lives; two, the commitment to work and the sense of accountability of people who are generally the butt of jokes and considered pushovers in the ranks of hierarchy. 

A BETTER WAY

The dangers are indeed real. But I only wish Bangalore Metro went about this important regimen of securing the safety of the passengers in a better way. The only indication now anyone has about the lurking danger is a note on the rail written in thin, small, black letters in yellow background, which doesn't send any message to our normally milling, undisciplined and chaotic people of the need to stay away from the edge of the platform. So, let there be enough number of visible, sign-boards in bold letters at strategic points warning passengers about the danger.

Two,  let the yellow line which people aren't supposed to cross, be drawn farther away, may be around 3 feet, from the edge. Now the gap is about a foot. On busy days, when the guards walk along the yellow line, pushing people back, there's the real danger of, ironically, the guard himself slipping and falling on the electrified rails. This is a fact some of them dreadfully realise. 

Three, let there be a 'Do Not Cross' warning in big, bold, red letters in Kannada, Hindi and English written along the yellow line. 

Four, and not the least, let us confer some amount of intelligence and common sense on the average Indian, who will surely follow the rules -- he only needs to be told why he should.

BODY SEARCH

Body search and screening of luggage for explosives are not commonly done on the Metro in the US, Singapore, Japan and many other countries, except when there's a security alert, or as part of a security drill. Such screenings aren't done on train or bus stations in India either. But that's not to argue against the system in Indian Metro stations. Any process that makes our lives safer should definitely be practised.

But, many of the guards seem to be poorly trained in the way they go about their job. There are a few who actually rub the detectors hard all over the body. There are a few others, who stand just at the entrance and thrust the detectors on you, out of the blue, within a few seconds of you entering the station. 

I won't blame them; they just need to be trained in non-intrusive ways of search. They also need to be trained in better body language and courtesies. The looks and gestures of some of them are as if we passengers are criminals. The security guards, who do the same job, at star hotels in Bangalore come across much better. They are far more courteous, and guests hardly even feel having been frisked. 

KUDOS

This rant is not to paint Bangalore Metro in a bad light. The trains are punctual, the environs are spotlessly clean, the announcements are audible and easy to understand, there are plenty well-positioned signboards that ensure you won't get lost; and the personnel at the ticket counter and customer care are kind and helpful. Bangalore Metro is doing an excellent job, and it deserves all support.
(Crossposted from Kaleidoscope)