Now, pay Rs 500 fine if caught littering on stations, trains
After the failure of several awareness campaigns, requests and sign boards to convince travellers to keep platforms and trains clean, the Railway Board has decided to prosecute offenders with a fine of up to Rs 500.
Throwing garbage, urinating, bathing, defecating, washing utensils and clothes, feeding animals or birds on railway premises — station buildings, platforms, rail tracks and trains -- will be punishable according to a circular issued by the Railway Board to its zonal heads on Friday.
Putting up posters or writing in train compartments or railway premises will be treated as an offence according to the notification issued under Railways Act, 1989. Any one caught defacing railway property will also be penalized, a senior railway official said.
According to the new rules, authorized vendors and hawkers will have to make arrangements to keep waste baskets or containers for collecting litter and ensure its proper disposal.
To implement the fresh measures, railways has authorized the station master or station manager, any official not below the rank of ticket collector (TC) or any official asked by railway administration to keep an eye on passengers littering on platforms and trains to punish the offenders.
The Board has also directed general managers of zonal railways to widely publicize the new rules and penal provisions.
"We had put up display boards and launched cleanliness campaigns appealing for passengers' cooperation to keep platforms and trains clean. But this did not help much. So now, we have decided to implement provisions of the Railway Act and penalize those found littering," a senior railway official said, adding that the provision of fine will be implemented properly. "We are hoping this will yield desired results," she said.
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