Rail Budget: Railway Protection Force wants tougher laws, higher fines

Commuters may be expecting better amenities on the eve of the Union Railway Budget, but on the Railway Protection Force’s (RPF) wishlist is tougher penal action for offences involving railway property and passenger areas. Senior RPF officials said fines prescribed under the Railways Act 1989 for serious cases such as rooftop travel or males travelling in ladies compartments are very low and are not an effective deterrent.
Women’s security has been a topic of concern for the railways. Over 13,000 cases of males entering ladies compartments and illegal travel in coaches for the handicapped were recorded by the Central Railway’s RPF last year—a 75% rise from 2010. There was a rash of cases of women being attacked or robbed on trains lodged by the Government Railway Police (GRP), the most recent being in Bhayander, where teenager Shweta Jadhwani was assaulted. But punishment prescribed under the Railways Act is a mere Rs 500 fine and removal of the offender from the coach in both cases.
The railways have been carrying out campaigns against rooftop and footboard travel but commuters continue to put their lives in danger. Over 4,000 cases were recorded on the Central line last year. The penalty prescribed under the Railways Act is a Rs 500 fine, or a three-month jail term, or both. Using abusive language, indecency or being caught drunk on railway premises attracts a Rs 500 fine and a jail term of six months.
“The Union Government recently approved changes in the Motor Vehicles Act 1988 to increase fines for traffic offences. If traffic rules can be amended and penalties hiked nearly five times, what prevents planners from making similar changes for the railways?” said a top official.
Every offender has to pay the fine in court and it goes to the state treasury. The RPF can only grant bail. If the bail is more than the fine levied, the balance is refunded by court. “Fining the accused on the spot for petty offences will be a better provision than sending them to court. Railway offenders are not hardened criminals too,” said an official.
Commuter welfare associations cautioned that it should not give rise to corruption among RPF personnel.
Punishment under Railways Act
Section 156 (rooftop or footboard travel): A three-month jail term, or 500 fine, or both and removal of offender from railway coach
Section 162 (males caught travelling in ladies compartments): 500 fine, removal of offender from coach and forfeiture of pass/ticket
Section 145 (drunkenness or nuisance): 500 fine and sixmonth jail term, forfeiture of pass/ticket and removal from coach. Such punishment will not be less than a fine of 100 when convicted for first time, a fine of 250 and one-month jail term when convicted for second offence
Section 155 (unauthorizedly occupying berth/seat reserved for handicapped): 500 fine and removal of offender from coach
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