Taking Photograph in undergroud rail station is not permitted?

mahmud

Couple of years ago, while I went to Kolkata, one of my friends took my photograph on a underground rail station (I can not recall the station name right now, it is near Dharmatala). Few minutes later 3 men came to us & informed that taking photographs are not permitted here. So, I have to pay Rs. 500 or give them our camera. We bargained & at last negotiated at Rs. 300. But they denied to give money receipt. While we asked for the same, they threaten us for more fine.

Now, I feel that they were the frauds. Is it?

iyou

Photography at railways stations, dams, bridges, etc is (and I believe until very recently at airports and from airplanes) banned. As to whether or not the people who accosted you were "frauds" or not, you are asking us to give an opinion on the basis of very few facts. But I'll give you my opinion: They were probably people in positions of authority in the station, people who knew the rules, who were no more or no less corrupt than anyone else in India, and who saw an opportunity to shake down a couple tourists.
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Digital Drifter

mahmud,
Believe me you got off lightly. Thank God for the rank corruption of the police in Calcutta. A few months go the NYT ran a story of a Nepali who couldn't speak good english whose only crime was to take photos of some stations and skyscrapers in NY. Some one called the police and he spent a horrendous 6-8 months in prison. The CIA case officer finally got him released because it took him time to actually believe he was just a toursit in the wrong place doing the wrong thing(?).

Heck, last month a bunch of UK sikhs were kicked off a tourist bus and made to kneel on the sidewalk in full public view because some wanker thought they were terrorists.

To repeat, in view of the current paranoia all over the world including India, Rs 300 is Godsend.

agni5454

Everyone in india is a fraud? wow quite an accusation.

Anyways, i have heard stories of people being put in jail for taking pictures. Almost happened to me when i visited the iduki dam/water projects back in 2002. I mean the picture was not "exclusively" pic shots of the damn but my friends were posing for the camera w/ the dam in the background. the film was confiscated by the security ...no other harm was done.

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edwardseco

Yaking photographs pretty subversive. I heard some plane watchers in Greece were arrested for looking..

cyberhippie

You're not supposed to take photos at Changa lake in Sikkim because of it's close proximity to the Chinese border!
However some people insisted and this was the result

Attached Thumbnails

 

MeCasa

Does this make us accomplices?

Nick-H

I wonder if they know about Google Earth?

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mahmud

Yes, in Bangladesh also banned to take photos of some places. But have they any meaning ? Because, in these days, if anybody wants, can easily take pictures by small spy cameras or mobile phones.

Other hand, I traveled Singapore, Malaysia & Thailand. As far as I remember, I did not refrain to take photograph of any place, even underground rail stations and airports.

agni5454

oh, i didn't think of that. yeah...i wonder...lol. Google does have all the major monuments in usa. wtf?

somnath

What I’ve experienced, photography is allowed at Tsomgo as it has become a tourist attraction but it is prohibited on the way. The rule is even tough if you are heading farther, towards Nathu la, but the jeep drivers are angels – they will help you to keep the camera safe if you are friendly with them.

sadhuji

all boards prohibiting taking of photographs should be removed in the context of miniature cameras that can conveniently be hidden on your person.

those boards were ok in the days of heavy photographic contraptions that used to go by the name of cameras with tele photo lenses and flash guns etc..

those are outdated concepts. today, anyone can take photo of anything from anywhere and transmit them to any corner of the globe in the twinkiling of an eye.

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mahmud

If the matter relates with security, there is no question. But the funny thing is that they returned my camera with the flim!