Indian Railways New Rule: Chain Pulling Now Costly, Passengers to Pay Heavy Fine for Delays

Indian Railways New Rule: Indian Railways has brought in strict measures for curbing the menace of unnecessary chain pulling that has started becoming a cause of worry for train operations. Starting December 6, passengers will have to pay a heavy price for chain pulling, with hefty fines and penal charges for delay.

New Penalty Structure: ₹500 Fine and ₹8,000 Per Minute Detention Charge

If you pull the chain without a valid reason, you will not only be required to pay a ₹500 fine but will also be charged ₹8,000 per minute for the detention time caused by the stoppage. For example, if a train is delayed by just 8 minutes due to chain pulling, the total penalty could amount to ₹40,500 (₹40,000 for detention time + ₹500 fine).

Why This New Rule?

According to railway officials, the delay caused by chain pulling is quite considerable and usually takes a train 5 to 7 minutes to get back into action. The new rule is an effort to minimize this operational loss that the chain pulling is costing the railways. This rule has been devised after a considerable number of chainpulling incidents—1262 in the past three months in the Bhopal division alone.

Passengers found trying to board or debark the train during a chainpulling incident will also lose their money. Railway authorities warn passengers not to engage with any unauthorized activities during such situations.

Earlier, the fine for chain pulling was as low as ₹500. This new regulation is a major shift towards stricter enforcement. So far, the total fines collected for chain-pulling offenses in the Bhopal division under Section 141 of the Railway Act have amounted to ₹2.9 lakh.