East Central Railway Cracks Down on Rule Violators in Major Safety Drive
In a decisive move to enforce discipline and ensure punctuality, the East Central Railway (ECR) conducted an intensive month-long enforcement campaign last month, resulting in penalties for thousands of passengers found violating railway regulations. The drive, which spanned across the ECR's extensive network, targeted two primary areas of concern: unauthorized stopping of trains and illegal travel in coaches reserved for women.
Operation Samay Palan: Curbing Unauthorized Train Stops
Under the initiative named 'Operation Samay Palan', the Railway Protection Force (RPF) took strict action against individuals who illegally halted trains by pulling the alarm chains without genuine emergencies. A total of 1,030 people were penalized under Section 141 of the RPF Act for this offense at various locations within the ECR jurisdiction.
Saraswati Chandra, the Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of ECR, emphasized that the campaign was specifically designed to "ensure punctual train operations and prevent inconvenience to passengers travelling in the reserved coaches." The crackdown aimed to address the recurring issue of unnecessary delays caused by false alarm chain pulls, which disrupt schedules and affect thousands of commuters.
Regional Breakdown of Alarm Chain Violations
The enforcement efforts revealed significant regional disparities in the number of violations recorded. Among the five divisions of ECR, the Danapur division reported the highest incidence with 496 cases, followed by:
- Samastipur division: 200 cases
- Sonepur division: 130 cases
- DDU division: 108 cases
- Dhanbad division: 96 cases
This distribution highlights areas where passenger awareness and compliance with railway rules require further attention and intervention.
Operation Mahila Suraksha: Protecting Women's Coach Integrity
In a parallel enforcement campaign, the RPF launched 'Operation Mahila Suraksha' to tackle the persistent problem of unauthorized individuals travelling in coaches exclusively reserved for women passengers. This initiative proved even more extensive in scope, with a staggering 3,567 passengers penalized for illegally occupying these designated spaces.
Once again, the Danapur division led in reported violations with 1,797 cases, demonstrating a critical need for enhanced monitoring and enforcement in this region. The complete breakdown across divisions includes:
- DDU division: 656 cases
- Samastipur division: 488 cases
- Sonepur division: 396 cases
- Dhanbad division: 230 cases
Broader Implications for Railway Operations
These coordinated enforcement drives represent a significant step by the East Central Railway authorities to reinforce safety protocols and maintain operational efficiency. The substantial number of penalties issued underscores the scale of non-compliance with established railway rules, which can compromise both security and service quality.
By targeting specific violations such as false alarm chain pulls and unauthorized coach entries, the ECR aims to cultivate a culture of responsibility among passengers while safeguarding the rights and comfort of legitimate travellers, particularly women. The month-long campaign serves as a clear warning that violations will not be tolerated, and similar enforcement actions may continue in the future to uphold railway standards across the region.
