Commuters who board or alight from moving trains may soon face fines of up to Rs 2,000, according to a report by the Times of India.
The Railway Protection Force (RPF) is planning to implement the policy to curb the rising number of platform accidents, the report said.
Quoting officials in Kochi, the report stated that the RPF will now treat boarding or getting off moving trains as a “mandatory” punishable offence. Earlier, such acts were usually met with warnings or legal action through railway courts.
“A decision has been taken to treat the risky behaviour as a crime under Section 156 of the Railways Act. So far, we used to dole out warnings for such acts or move the railway court as a last action. But we will start handing out on-the-spot fines, with penalties up to Rs 2,000 for such acts,” a senior RPF official told TOI.
The move is aimed at discouraging passengers from taking dangerous risks while boarding or deboarding trains.
The decision comes amid a sharp rise in such accidents in the Thiruvananthapuram division. In the first four months of this year alone, 37 incidents were reported, leading to 12 deaths and 25 serious injuries. Last year, the division recorded 113 such accidents, claiming 31 lives.
RPF officials said falling from moving trains remains one of the most preventable yet deadly railway accidents. They also pointed out that many passengers continue to stand near train doors despite vacant seats being available inside coaches, especially during hot weather.
Apart from imposing fines, railway authorities are also planning awareness measures such as counselling sessions for offenders, regular station announcements, and enhanced surveillance on overcrowded trains.
Hundreds of people across India lose their lives or suffer injuries every year while boarding or alighting from trains. According to a 2025 report, such incidents claimed 216 lives and left 93 injured in Delhi alone over a span of 27 months.
In 2023, 98 people died and 37 were injured in similar incidents in the national capital. The figures remained grim in 2024 as well, with 105 deaths and 48 injuries reported.
It is, however, not clear whether the RPF will implement the policy in Thiruvananthapuram or nationwide.
The Railway Protection Force (RPF) is planning to implement the policy to curb the rising number of platform accidents, the report said.
Quoting officials in Kochi, the report stated that the RPF will now treat boarding or getting off moving trains as a “mandatory” punishable offence. Earlier, such acts were usually met with warnings or legal action through railway courts.
“A decision has been taken to treat the risky behaviour as a crime under Section 156 of the Railways Act. So far, we used to dole out warnings for such acts or move the railway court as a last action. But we will start handing out on-the-spot fines, with penalties up to Rs 2,000 for such acts,” a senior RPF official told TOI.
The move is aimed at discouraging passengers from taking dangerous risks while boarding or deboarding trains.
The decision comes amid a sharp rise in such accidents in the Thiruvananthapuram division. In the first four months of this year alone, 37 incidents were reported, leading to 12 deaths and 25 serious injuries. Last year, the division recorded 113 such accidents, claiming 31 lives.
RPF officials said falling from moving trains remains one of the most preventable yet deadly railway accidents. They also pointed out that many passengers continue to stand near train doors despite vacant seats being available inside coaches, especially during hot weather.
Apart from imposing fines, railway authorities are also planning awareness measures such as counselling sessions for offenders, regular station announcements, and enhanced surveillance on overcrowded trains.
Hundreds of people across India lose their lives or suffer injuries every year while boarding or alighting from trains. According to a 2025 report, such incidents claimed 216 lives and left 93 injured in Delhi alone over a span of 27 months.
In 2023, 98 people died and 37 were injured in similar incidents in the national capital. The figures remained grim in 2024 as well, with 105 deaths and 48 injuries reported.
It is, however, not clear whether the RPF will implement the policy in Thiruvananthapuram or nationwide.
