RPF Gets Power to Collect On-the-Spot Fines for 8 Railway Offences; ₹12.11 Lakh Recovered in Ahmedabad

The Railway Protection Force (RPF) has been empowered to collect fines on the spot for eight specified railway offences following amendments to the Railway Act under the Jan Vishwas Act. Earlier, offenders in such cases were required to appear before a magistrate and pay the prescribed penalty.

Under the revised provisions, RPF officers can now impose and recover fines directly at the location for eligible offences. The penalty amounts for several offences have also been significantly increased.

According to Ahmedabad RPF data, between June 19 and August 31, a total of 1,849 cases were registered under the applicable sections, with ₹12.11 lakh collected in fines.

Penalties Increased

The revised penalties include a ₹2,000 fine for unauthorised vending under Section 144, compared with the earlier ₹100–200 penalty. Unauthorised entry into railway premises or misuse of railway property under Section 147 now attracts a ₹500 fine.

Under Section 155, unauthorised entry into reserved coaches and causing inconvenience to passengers can attract a fine of ₹1,000 to ₹2,000. Parking in no-parking zones under Section 159 carries a ₹500 penalty.

Unauthorised travel in women’s coaches under Section 162 can now attract a ₹2,500 fine, while carrying inflammable or hazardous goods under Section 165 can result in a penalty ranging from ₹1,000 to ₹10,000.

Defacing public notices at railway stations under Section 166 and smoking on trains or at railway stations under Section 167 can each attract a ₹2,000 fine.

No-Parking Violations Top Ahmedabad Cases

Section 159 recorded the highest number of cases in Ahmedabad during the period, with 837 cases involving vehicles parked in no-parking areas. RPF recovered ₹4.18 lakh in fines from these violations.

This was followed closely by Section 147, under which 826 cases of unauthorised entry into railway premises or misuse of railway property were registered. The RPF collected ₹4.13 lakh in fines under this section.

Section-Wise Action by Ahmedabad RPF

Section 144: 138 cases — ₹2.76 lakh recovered

Section 147: 826 cases — ₹4.13 lakh recovered

Section 155: 19 cases — ₹35,000 recovered

Section 159: 837 cases — ₹4.18 lakh recovered

Section 162: 20 cases — ₹50,000 recovered

Section 167: 9 cases — ₹18,000 recovered

Total: 1,849 cases — ₹12.11 lakh recovered

The new provision is expected to reduce the need for magistrate court proceedings in minor railway offences and make enforcement more immediate. For passengers and visitors, however, the substantial increase in penalties means that violations such as unauthorised vending, smoking, parking in restricted areas and travelling in women’s coaches could now prove significantly more expensive.