With 400 instances this year, Pune railway station once again tops alarm chain pulling in trains

Last year also during the same period, Pune was the top railway station with approximately 570 cases, followed by Chinchwad and Loni stations, which recorded around 170 and 160 cases, respectively.

According to Priyanka Sharma, senior divisional security commissioner of the Pune division, the most frequently reported cases after chain pulling involve stone-pelting on train windows. These incidents, categorised as ‘punctuality tasks’, are the most commonly registered complaints manually by the RPF.

“We have two categories: one focuses on addressing unpunctuality-related concerns, and the other on complaints or assistance registered through the Rail Madad app. Under the punctuality category, where the RPF’s primary objective is to prevent train delays, the major challenges are alarm chain pulling, stone-pelting, and track runover cases,” Sharma explained.

Sharma noted that most alarm chain pulling occurs when passengers arrive late at railway stations or wait for their co-passengers. She also informed that under Section 141 of the Railways Act, 1989, pulling the alarm chain without reasonable cause is a punishable offence. The penalty includes imprisonment for up to one year, a fine of Rs 1,000, or both.

The second category of RPF duties involves overseeing cases submitted through the Rail Madad app. Although no significant distinction is made between complaints and assistance, Sharma stated that the majority of cases reported are related to luggage left behind.

“Among the different cases, luggage left behind is the most frequent, followed by passengers not responding or going missing, and theft of passengers’ belongings, such as phones, earphones, and other items. Nuisance complaints, which involve disturbances by either passengers or hawkers, are next in line,” Sharma said.

She added that there is a category for “misbehaviour with women”, but such incidents are rare in the Pune division.

When asked how the RPF identifies chain pullers, Sharma explained, “When the alarm chain is pulled, a pressure drop sound is heard, and the passenger emergency alarm indicator is activated for the affected coach. In LHB coaches (passenger coaches used by Indian Railways that are manufactured by Linke-Hofmann-Busch (LHB) of Germany) the LED light in the specific section or cubicle of the coach starts blinking.”