New Delhi, Oct 4 (IANS): More than 4,000 men travelling in Delhi Metro's coaches reserved for women have paid about Rs.11 lakh in fines since last year, an official said Tuesday.

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) reserved the first coach of every train for women from Oct 2, 2010. Since then, there have been regular incidents of men forcing their way into the reserved coaches.

"Four thousand two hundred and eighty-nine male passengers have been prosecuted from Oct last year to Aug 31 this year for unlawful entry into coach reserved for women and fines worth Rs.10,72,250 have been collected," a DMRC official who did not wish to be named, told IANS.

"It has been a successful initiative," he said.

Delhi Metro initially imposed a fine of Rs.200 each on men found flouting the law.

This was increased by Rs.50 following the Nov 25, 2010 incident when several male passengers travelling in a women's coach were thrashed by police.

"We keep distributing leaflets having helpline numbers of DMRC and nearby police stations to travellers, especially women. Moreover, the passengers can always press the emergency alarm present in all coaches and talk to the driver," added the official.

Under the 'Bunch Domination Group', women constables of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and Delhi Metro Rail Police, as also DMRC staffers randomly board women's coaches to catch the offenders.

"This was started around two months back," CISF spokesperson Rohit Katitar told IANS.

According to DMRC, around 4.5 lakh women passengers take the Metro every day on weekdays while on the weekends the number is 3.25 lakh.

Delhi Metro runs around 2,000 train trips and ferries more than 18 lakh passengers every day. After the third phase, expected to be completed by early 2016, the ridership will rise to 30 lakh.