RPF to pull up chain pullers

With cases of unnecessary chain pulling doubling this year, RPF will book offenders under Railways Act, which punishes the felony with a Rs-1,000 fine, a year in jail or both

To deter pranksters from pulling alarm chains in trains for frivolous personal reasons, the railways have decided to take a stern view of the offence.

The number of instances of unnecessary chain pulling on the city's suburban rail network has almost doubled this year. Officials said that such irresponsible acts disturb the schedule of several trains on a route.


Until June in 2010, 68 cases of reckless chain pulling
were registered, but this year the figure rose to 135

Until June in 2010, 68 cases of reckless chain pulling were registered, but this year, the figure is 135, a 98 per cent rise.

As such, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) has issued a notice to all its police stations to book persons found guilty of needless chain pulling under the Railways Act, which slaps a penalty of Rs 1,000 or a year in jail, or both on the offenders.

According to senior railway officials, it takes at least five minutes to start up the train after someone pulls a chain, delaying even the trains trailing the one they have halted.

"Unnecessary chain pulling has become a headache. We cannot monitor each and every compartment all the time.

As per our records, nearly 80 per cent of chain pullers do it for fun, with no emergency looming over them. Still, as per rules, we have to halt the train once a chain has been pulled," said a railway official who didn't want to be named.

In the suburban trains, once the chain has been pulled, the motorman and the guard peer out from the cabins to see if they can spot any emergency situation.

But the train comes to a halt irrespective of its speed or the seriousness of the emergency. "Several times during rush hours, passengers pull the chain at their desirable stop as fast trains don't halt at many stations.
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Many, to avoid rush, travel atop the trains and pull the metal strip at the back of coaches to halt it. They have no idea about the consequences. It delays the schedule of trains on that route," added the official.

Incidentally, rash alarm chain pulling is common in long-distance trains. Many passengers pull the chain so their delayed companions may board or because they want to get down at a station where the train doesn't stop.

Senior Divisional Security Commissioner, RPF (CR), PC Sinha said, "We have decided to consider it as a serious offence and informed all police stations to investigate chain pulling instances personally in their jurisdiction.
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This is not something you can do for fun."u00a0 Officials have been instructed to enquire of the reason behind chain pulling with the station master, train guard, motormen and passengers.

Rulebook says
Section 141 of the Railways Act, 1989 deals with needlessly interfering with means of communication in a train. If a person, without reasonable and sufficient cause, makes use of any means provided in a train for communication between passengers and the railway servant in charge of the train, he shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year, or with a fine which may extend to Rs 1,000, or both.