MUMBAI, July 1 -- On a busy morning at Borivali railway station, ticket checking (TCs) staff are on the lookout for commuters - not those without tickets but those who spit and litter on railway premises. The reason is the Western Railway (WR) has ramped up efforts to keep railway property clean. Due to the increased focus on cleanliness, TCs caught and fined more than 6,000 offenders defacing platforms, the concourse areas and the railway tracks - a ten-fold increase in April and May, compared to the same period last year. Sources in the WR's commercial department said fines range from Rs.200 to Rs.500. During a recent inspection, WR officials flagged its stations at Borivali, Andheri, Vile Parle, Goregaon, Kandivali, Malad, Bandra, Dadar, Matunga Road, Mahim and Grant Road, saying they were particularly dirty. But the job is fraught with challenges. At Borivali station, a TC flagged down a commuter who spat gutkha onto a platform. At first, the commuter denied defacing railway property; then he said, "I'm in a hurry and am being unnecessarily detained. I have a legit ticket," said the commuter, who paid the Rs.200 fine only after the Railway Protection Force (RPF) joined the heated debate. "Offenders invariably demand proof of them spitting or littering. We tell them the station is covered with CCTV cameras, which can easily turn in proof," said a TC at Borivali station. Another official said they position themselves at spots prone to being defaced. "Passengers in long-distance trains throw trash onto the platforms and tracks. TCs travelling in these trains catch these passengers and fine them," said the TC. "Dealing with spitting and littering offenders is much harder than catching ticketless travellers," said a senior TC. WR has pasted bright anti-spitting and anti-littering stickers on pillars, walls and staircases at all major suburban stations, ensuring violators cannot plead ignorance. They have also placed stickers at food stalls, next to the station masters' offices and ticket counters. The WR hires the services of 10-12 contractors across the Churchgate-Virar section of the suburban railway, to make sure railway premises are clean. "During the inspections, we found that contractors clean once a day or maximum twice, if our staff tells them to. We have collected fines amounting to Rs.10 lakh from different contractors in the last two to three months," said a senior WR official. Contractors, on the other hand, claim scrubbing stains is very expensive. "We spend Rs.1,500-2,000 per day on cleaning staff, chemicals and toiletries. Each stain takes 15-20 minutes to scrub, and then we have to deal with the discoloration," said a contractor at Borivali station. Health experts support the crackdown. According to Dr Arvind Kate, a chest specialist and member of the Indian Chest Society, said spitting is a primary vector for communicable diseases such as tuberculosis, as the causative organisms are present in sputum. "Spitting can also spread viral infections like the flu," Kate noted, adding that final transmission depends on the recipient's immunity. "Basic behavioural discipline, cough hygiene, and civic sense need to be taught from childhood to ensure a healthy society."...