(Representative) In the past year, the incidence of individuals trespassing on railway tracks has surged, more than doubling according to Railway Protection Force statistics
Since the implementation of the Act, 4,084 people have been caught under its provisions, with Rs 20.4 lakh collected in fines. Senior divisional security commissioner (RPF) Ashutosh Pandey said action was being taken under Section 147 of Railways Act against those crossing railway tracks unauthorisedly.
Under the new provisions, a fixed penalty is prescribed under the relevant sections without the necessity to go through a tedious process and an appearance in court, officials said. He said RPF was also organising awareness workshops, coordinating with Govt Railway Police to take action against trespassers, and deploying personnel at platforms, trespassing-prone stretches and level-crossing gates. A violator who pleaded financial inability to pay the fine would sometimes be let off without paying the full amount or be charged less than the prescribed penalty, depending upon the discretion of the judicial magistrate.
Earlier, the process was tedious and a violator had to be produced in court.