Cracking a whip on those indulging in unnecessary alarm chain pulling (ACP) Western Railway RPF (Railway Protection Force) has registered a total 2858 cases in 2021 and arrested 2760 people, who were involved in chain pulling of trains without valid reasons and collected fine of Rs 12,50,405 from the offenders.
Out of these 1083 cases registered in Mumbai Central division of WR alone in 2021 and these people were arrested for pulling the chain without valid reasons. RPF WRs Mumbai Central division collected a fine of Rs 5,46,855. Similarly 562 cases of chain pulling were registered in the Vadodara division, 553 in Ahmedabad, 440 in Ratlam, 167 cases by Rajkot division and remaining cases of chain pulling were registered by the Bhavnagar division of WR in 2021.
In 2020, a total of 1,802 cases of chain pulling were registered in the entire western railway. In 2020 comparatively fewer trains were operated because of the nationwide lockdown.
To prevent any unexpected situation, every coach of the trains has equipped with an alarm chain system. As per the Indian Railways Act, pulling the emergency chain without a valid reason is an offense and attracts a jail term of three months or a fine up to Rs 1,000.
The arrested persons were prosecuted under section 141 of the Railway Act. "The misuse of ACP for the convenience of one or few passengers ends up causing inconvenience to all other passengers," said an officer of WR .
“It has become a tendency for passengers to simply pull the chain for silly reasons such as luggage left outside, family members having stepped out of the train to get snacks or water, ticket left at home or elsewhere, or wanted to catch the train despite being late," said an officer of WR adding that especially during peak season when the railway is trying to maintain the punctuality of trains and chain pulling cases increase and it becomes difficult for railway to operate.
"When the chain is pulled whilst the train is standing at the station, our RPF staff has to find out from which bogey it has been pulled and then search for the person who has done it. A lot of time is wasted and ultimately, it impacts the other trains arriving at the station,” said another official of WR adding that passengers should understand and pull the chain only in case of a real emergency.
