With BMC’s blessings, clean-up marshals move their racket to rail stations

Another marshal just had his ID card on him but no uniform, on Thursday

The clean-up marshals, tasked to enforce the mandatory mask rule, continue to harass citizens, despite multiple assurances the BMC made after mid-day exposed the extortion racket. Marshals, some without their uniform, have been extorting people outside the Borivli railway station for the past one month. People have complained that they sometimes demand double the official penalty.

Some marshals had even entered the Borivli railway station premises and allegedly extorted commuters, against the rule. The rail authorities said they will take action if they find any marshals on the premises. On Thursday, mid-day saw some marshals on the west side of Borivali railway station, at auto and taxi stands. When this correspondent asked a few marshals why they were working on the railway premises, they claimed that they can work anywhere and the BMC has given them the authority.

A clean-up marshal without uniform collects fine from a man outside Borivli railway station on Thursday

Speaking with mid-day, Anil Kadam, the senior inspector of Government Railway Police (GRP), said, "These marshals are not allowed to work on the railway premises and its trespassing. We will form our team and conduct checks regularly, and if these marshals are spotted on the railway premises, we will take strictest action against them. A few months back, they were working outside the station area, on the road that comes under the BMC, but we also saw them on the railway premises near rickshaw stands. Our team will now conduct regular checks to ensure they do not trespass."

During Thursday's visit, mid-day also found out that most of the marshals were demanding Rs 500 from citizens for not wearing a mask or wearing one improperly in public places. The civic chief has time and again said that the fine for violation of the mandatory mask rule is Rs 200.

One of the marshals seen in plainclothes outside Borivli railway station on Thursday

While some marshals were in uniform, others just had their ID card. One man was collecting fine from the mask-less without the ID card and the uniform. When questioned by this correspondent, he claimed to be a supervisor of the marshals, and said, "We don't use uniform, because we don't have one and supervisors are allowed to collect fines without a uniform."

The marshals without the uniform refused to show their ID card to mid-day. A marshal told mid-day, "We are deployed by the BMC ward office and we are allowed to work on railway premises, and if you have any problem speak with the BMC ward." mid-day also spotted marshals, who were not in their uniform, at Dahanukar Wadi signal in Kandivli West penalising the mask-less.

The man in red shirt was collecting fine and claimed to be the supervisor of the marshals on Thursday

Earlier this month, the BMC assured action against the marshals who are extorting or harassing people in the name of enforcing the mask mandate. Later, Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar also announced that the marshals' uniform is being changed as per the BMC wards, helping the public file a complaint against errant enforcers. Recently, the BMC also increased the number of marshals on the city roads to 1,000 from 750. However, none of their measures have put a stop on the harassment by marshals in the city.

'500
What marshals demand against fine of Rs 200

Rs 500
Amount of fine for mask rule violation