130 chain-pulling cases recorded in Feb at Pune railway station
Pune Railway reported 130 chain-pulling incidents in February, leading to 71 arrests and ₹31,600 in fines; officials urge emergency use only.
Pune: The Pune division of Central Railway has recorded 130 instances of chain-pulling in February this year. The division handles operation of 200 trains carrying over 1.5 lakh passengers daily.
According to officials, last month, additional trains were introduced due to the Kumbh Mela, leading to a surge in passenger count accounting for rise in pulling of alarm chain cases. Of the 130 cases reported in February, 71 individuals were arrested for unnecessarily pulling the emergency chain and disrupting passenger services. Additionally, a fine of ₹31,600 was collected from individuals at the rate of ₹1,000 per offence.
The common reasons cited by officials for chain pulling include late arrival of passengers and forgetting luggage or personal belongings on the platform.
“Passengers should use this facility only in emergencies. Pulling the emergency chain for personal reasons, causing inconvenience to co-passengers, and disrupting the railway schedule is a serious offence,” said Priyanka Sharma, commissioner, Railway Protection Force (RPF) Pune.
