Soon, Mumbai railway TCs could fine you for breaking rules

Men and women seen crossing the railway tracks will have to cough up a higher fine. Representation pics

The next time you decide to cross the tracks, travel in the women's compartment or the one reserved for the handicapped make sure you have enough cash in your wallet.

The railways in Mumbai sent a proposal 10 days ago to the Railway Board in Delhi to allow ticket collectors (TCs) to collect spot fines and book rule violators. They also want the fine amount to be raised from Rs 100 to Rs 500.

At present, those caught for the above offences are taken to the station master's office, then to the railway police where offences under the Railway Act are registered against the offender. Thereafter, they are taken to the Railway Court where the magistrate announces the fine and sentence for the offence.

Representational picture

Sources said that internally, authorities have given the go-ahead and that they want the change to be part of the Railway Act. "We have mooted the implementation of a system wherein people will be fined then and there for offences," said Mukul Jain, Divisional Railway Manager (Mumbai), Western Railway speaking to mid-day.

Presently, the fines amount to Rs 100 to Rs 200, which the railways wants hiked to Rs 500. In fact, the fine for littering had been raised to Rs 500 but brought down to R200 after they realised that people were littering anyway and not paying the 'exorbitant' fine.

mid-day, on September 25, had a report about this - 'R500 fine too much: Litterbugs tell Western, Central railway officials'. Authorities have been using CCTV cameras to catch guilty commuters on the spot wherein on an average they catch 100 people for littering.

Also, crossing tracks is a life-threatening offence. On an average at least 9-10 people die on the tracks on the suburban section, of which around 65 per cent are because of trespassing and crossing rail lines.