Passengers pulling the alarm chain without a valid reason can delay trains and cause significant losses to the Railways. Indian Railways regularly warns passengers against attempting to pull the chain during a journey unless there is a genuine need, as the violation can result in a heavy penalty, imprisonment, or both.
Recently, Northern Railway again advised passengers against unnecessary chain pulling through a post on social media platform X. In its post, Northern Railway warned that if a passenger pulls the train chain without any necessary reason during the journey, there can be serious consequences.
The railway said the passenger could face a heavy fine or imprisonment, or both. In its social media post, Northern Railway also highlighted the provisions related to the penalty and imprisonment and urged passengers not to cause unnecessary delays to the journeys of other people travelling on the train.
“Always think before pulling the chain,” the railway said, while asking passengers to respect everyone’s time and follow the rules prescribed by Indian Railways.
According to the rules laid down by Indian Railways, unnecessarily pulling the alarm chain without a valid reason can prove costly for passengers. If a passenger engages in such an act and fails to provide a proper and sufficient reason, it is treated as a punishable offence under Section 141 of the Indian Railways Act, 1989.
Under the provision, the passenger can face imprisonment for up to one year, a fine of ₹1,000, or both.
According to the Railways, alarm chain pulling (ACP) is considered one of the major causes of delays to rail services across India. An abnormal stoppage of a train affects not only the punctuality of that particular train but can also disrupt all trains operating behind it, resulting in passengers losing valuable time.
In case of an emergency, Indian Railways advises passengers to first inform the Travelling Ticket Examiner (TTE) in charge of the concerned coach. Passengers can also contact the Rail Sahayata helpline at 139, which provides a single point of contact for railway-related complaints and problems. Assistance can also be sought through the RailMadad app.
The alarm chain can generally be pulled in certain special circumstances. These include situations where a passenger’s life is at risk, such as when pulling the chain can prevent an accident in the event of a passenger falling. It can also be used if a child below 10 years of age or a person above 60 years of age is unable to board the train.
With unnecessary alarm chain pulling capable of causing an abnormal stoppage and delays to other trains, Northern Railway’s latest warning underlines the need for passengers to use the emergency mechanism only when circumstances warrant it.
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