Mumbai: CR starts drive against smokers for smoking in trains, on railway premises

Think twice before smoking in trains or on the railway premises, you could be penalised. On Friday, 7 commuters were caught by CRs Mumbai Division at Kalyan and fined Rs 200 each.

Manik Dagad, Musa Hanif, Vijay Murlidhar, Rakesh Singh, Dilip Mandidar, Suresh Raju Saroj and Krishna Satish Gupta were caught by Kalyan RPF on Friday while smoking on the trains as well as in the station premises. Later on, all these 7 offenders were produced in Railway Court, where they were fined Rs 200 each.

Railway Protection Force of Central Railway started a week-long Intensive drive against the prevention of fire in Railway Compartments from Thursday and caught 38 smokers on the first day of drive on Thursday and collected a fine of Rs 7600. Out of 38 offenders, 23 were caught by Nagpur division, 11 by Bhusaval division and 3 by Mumbai division and one by Pune Division of CR.

Section 167 of the Railways Act specifies that anyone found smoking in a compartment despite prohibition or objection from a co-passenger is liable for a fine of up to Rs 200.

Earlier, between 30th December 2021 to 23rd January 2022 total of 83 cases were detected under COTPA (Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products Act) and 36 cases were registered under section 167 of the Railways Act which prohibits smoking in the Railway Compartment despite objection. Total of Rs. 19,500/- was realised as a penalty from those offenders' cases.

Confirming the development, a senior officer of CR said, this drive will continue next week too. "Railway administration appeals the passengers not to carry any inflammable to avoid fire accidents in trains and at stations" further added officials.

Earlier, CR RPF has also conducted an awareness drive to avoid fire incidents with all stakeholders of Railways such as parcel porters, leaseholders, parcel staff, luggage porters, pantry car staff, on board cleanliness staff, other rail users etc.

Further from January 6th 2022 to January 23rd 2022, the RPF has conducted 991 checks to ensure the prevention of fire incidents on trains at stations, stabling yards, washing plants, pit lines and also at fuelling points etc.