The Railway Protection Force has booked 783 passengers of Indian Railways – travelling in the Delhi division of the northern zone – for unauthorised pulling of the alarm chain in trains and hampering operations, as per data recorded from January 1.
The action was directed by Delhi divisional railway manager Dimpy Garg. “This campaign will be intensified and train passengers should ensure that they reach the station well on time before scheduled departure,” he said.
Official data accessed by News18 shows that in January, the RPF team of Delhi division booked 510 people under Section 141 of the Railway Act – unauthorisedly pulling of alarm chains and stopping trains. A total of 242 people were fined Rs 1,40,200 by the courts. This month, up to February 20, 273 cases were registered of which 80 people have been fined Rs 47,300.
Pulling the alarm chain without reasonable and sufficient cause is a punishable offence under Section 141 of Indian Railways Act, 1989. The penalty includes imprisonment of up to one year or a fine of Rs 1,000 or both.
“Alarm chains in trains are provided for passengers facing safety or security issues to attract the attention of the loco pilot and guard. However, it can only be used during emergency situations. Despite repeated appeals and warnings, passengers pull the alarm chain in trains for trivial reasons,” a ministry official told News18.
The official further said pulling of the alarm chain was one of the major reasons behind train delays across India. “Any unusual stoppage of a train will not only affect the punctuality of that particular train, but also of all the trains running behind it besides consuming valuable time of passengers. Even though we are striving hard to maintain punctuality, incidents of alarm chain pulling continue to affect train services,” the official added.
The official also said people should refrain from pulling the alarm chain so that trains can run on time and, in case of an emergency or problem, passengers should first inform the ticket examiner in charge of a coach.
“Also, rail users are advised to contact RailMadad Helpline 139, which is a one-stop solution for all rail-related complaints and grievances,” the official said.
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