Have you ever noticed a passenger who lit a cigarette on the train? I am sure many of us have. But did you know that carrying a cigarette or any substance that contains tobacco on a train is prohibited? Under the Prohibition of Smoking in Public Places, smoking is a punishable offence with a fine of ₹200. Moreover, the Indian Railways have a zero-tolerance policy for smoking, and have directed the Railway Protection Force to penalise the offenders.
Man Reported For Smoking On Train
A railway passenger Manish Jain, manager at SBI Mutual Funds, posted a tweet on Twitter that featured a man smoking on a train. The tweet included a twenty seven second video that showed the man taking out a cigarette from his pocket and lighting it. You can see children in the video exposed to passive smoking. The tweet had a caption stating the train, coach, and seat numbers. Moreover, he tagged the official accounts of IRCTC and Ministry Of Railways. It further stated that the offenders had started abusing them when the rest of the passengers tried to stop them and take action against these violators as soon as possible.
Also Read: 10 Countries Where Smoking Weed Is Illegal For Recreational Use But Legal For Medical Purpose
Railways’ Quick Action To This Violation
The RailwaySeva, a support portal for railway users, was quick to act. They asked Manish Jain to share the journey details like PNR, UT numbers, etc through DM. According to him, a Railway Police Force official had warned the passengers to not smoke at Bandikui station.
Also Read: Legal Age For Smoking Tobacco In India Will Soon Be Raised From 18 To 21 Years
Section 167, Railway Act
Indian Railways has a strict no-tolerance rule against offenders. And for those who aren’t aware of this, take a look at what section 167 of the Railway Act says about smoking.
- Section 1 – If no passenger in the compartment objects, no person will smoke there.
- Section 2 – In spite of what is stated in section 1, railway administration can object to smoking in any part of the train.
- Section 3 – Anyone who objects to section 1 and /or section 2, shall be punished with a fine of ₹100.
Cover Image Courtesy: Manish Jain/ Twitter