Mumbai: Central Railway sees 11K alarm chain abuse cases in one year

More than 9,600 offenders have been prosecuted. Representation pic

The Central Railway (CR) has reported 11,000 cases of alarm chain misuse on trains over the past year, leading to unnecessary delays and disruptions in the timetable. More than 9,600 passengers have been prosecuted for this offence, with fines totalling Rs 63.12 lakh recovered.

"It has been observed that passengers misuse the alarm chain for trivial reasons, such as arriving late or boarding at intermediate stations. This is a punishable offence under Section 141 of the Railways Act, which can result in serious consequences for the offender. Penalties may include imprisonment for up to one year, a fine of Rs 1,000, or both. CR is closely monitoring such incidents of unreasonable alarm chain pulling," said Central Railway chief spokesperson Dr Swapnil Nila.
"From April 2023 to June 28, 2024, CR registered 11,434 cases of alarm chain misuse. A total of 9,657 individuals were prosecuted and fines amounting to R63.21 lakh were collected," he added.

"The Railways provide an alarm chain pulling option in suburban and mail/express trains for emergencies only. The alarm chain should be used to alert the loco pilot (driver) and train manager (guard) during genuine emergencies. Misuse of the alarm chain not only affects the punctuality of the train on which it is pulled but also has a cascading effect on subsequent trains, leading to delays and inconvenience for other passengers," he continued.

Valid reasons for pulling the chain include genuine emergencies such as fires, health crises, criminal activities, or accidents during boarding or alighting. In non-emergency situations, passengers should approach train staff, such as the travelling ticket examiner, dial Rail Madad at 139 or seek assistance from fellow passengers.