Railways Increases Fines Up To ₹5K Under New Rules 2026; Stricter Checks For Passengers In Madhya Pradesh

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): With the aim of providing passengers with a safe, clean, and well-organised travel environment, Indian Railways has amended several provisions of the Railways Act, 1989, under the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026. The revised rules came into effect on June 20, 2026.

Under the amended provisions, fines and penalties for several offences have been increased, and immediate punitive action has been introduced in certain cases.

Section 137: The minimum excess charge for travelling or attempting to travel without a valid ticket has been increased from Rs 250 to Rs 500.

Section 138: The minimum excess charge for irregular travel has also been raised from Rs 250 to Rs 500. Refusal to pay may lead to legal proceedings.

Section 142: Passengers found travelling on a ticket issued in another person's name will have the ticket confiscated and will be required to pay an additional charge equal to the ticket fare, subject to a minimum of Rs 500.

Section 144: Selling goods, hawking, or begging on railway premises or trains without permission will attract a fine of Rs 2,000. Refusal to pay may result in a court-imposed fine of up to Rs 5,000 or imprisonment.

Section 145: Passengers found harassing others, using abusive or obscene language, or causing inconvenience while intoxicated on railway premises may be fined up to Rs 1,000. Repeat or serious offences may attract a fine of up to Rs 5,000 or imprisonment for up to six months.

Section 146: Anyone found obstructing a railway employee from performing official duties may face a fine of up to Rs 2,500 or imprisonment for up to three months.

Section 147: Entering passenger areas without permission and refusing to leave will attract a penalty of Rs 500. Failure to pay may result in a court-imposed fine of up to Rs 5,000 or imprisonment for up to three months.

Section 155: Fines for littering and damaging railway property have been increased to Rs 2,000 for certain violations and up to Rs 1,000 for others. Failure to pay may result in a court-imposed fine of up to Rs 3,000.

Section 159: Improper parking, violating one-way traffic rules, or ignoring instructions from railway staff on railway premises will attract a penalty of Rs 500.

Section 162: Male passengers entering compartments, berths, or waiting rooms reserved for women without authorisation will face a penalty of Rs 2,500. Failure to pay may result in a court-imposed fine of up to Rs 5,000.

Section 165: Bringing prohibited or dangerous items onto railway premises or trains will attract a minimum penalty of Rs 10,000, along with compensation for any damage caused.

Section 166: Defacing public notices will attract a fine of Rs 2,000 for a first offence. Repeat offences may result in a fine of up to Rs 5,000 or imprisonment.

Section 167: Smoking on railway premises or trains will attract a fine of Rs 2,000. Refusal to pay may lead to a court-imposed fine of up to Rs 5,000.

Senior Divisional Commercial Manager Saurabh Kataria said the revised provisions are aimed at creating greater awareness among passengers about railway rules, curbing ticketless and irregular travel, and maintaining better discipline across railway premises.

He added that the penalty amounts, which had remained unchanged for many years, have now been revised to reflect current conditions.