Now Reading: Railway littering penalty doubled to Rs 1,000
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Railway littering penalty doubled to Rs 1,000
The Indian Railways has doubled the penalty for littering on railway premises from Rs 500 to Rs 1,000 under amended cleanliness rules. The Railway Board issued the amendment under Section 60 of…
The Indian Railways has doubled the penalty for littering on railway premises from Rs 500 to Rs 1,000 under amended cleanliness rules. The Railway Board issued the amendment under Section 60 of the Railways Act, 1989. If a person refuses or fails to pay the penalty, they must be produced before a competent court, which can impose a fine of up to Rs 2,000.
The Rs 1,000 penalty applies to violations of the 2012 cleanliness rules, including throwing litter outside designated places, spitting, urinating, defecating, cooking, bathing, washing clothes or utensils, feeding animals, and storing goods in unauthorised areas. Defacing railway property by pasting posters or writing on coaches without permission is also covered. Authorised vendors must provide waste bins and dispose of waste only at designated locations.
Designated railway officials, including Station Masters, Station Managers, and certain Commercial and Operating department personnel, can enforce the penalty.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The doubling of the fine brings the penalty closer to the maximum allowed under the Railways Act, but enforcement remains the real challenge. In 2023, the Comptroller and Auditor General reported that over 60% of major stations lacked adequate cleaning staff and waste disposal facilities. Without consistent on-ground checks and proper infrastructure, a higher fine may deter few repeat offenders. The next data point to watch is whether the Railways reports a measurable rise in penalty collections and a drop in complaints about filth at stations over the next quarter.
The doubling of the fine brings the penalty closer to the maximum allowed under the Railways Act, but enforcement remains the real challenge. In 2023, the Comptroller and Auditor General reported that over 60% of major stations lacked adequate cleaning staff and waste disposal facilities.
Source: gulfnews.com
This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
