Railway cracks down on unwarranted alarm chain pulling; over 1K cases registered
FEROZEPUR, February 22, 2026: Indian Railways, often hailed as the "lifeline" of the nation, prioritises the safety and security of its passengers above all else. To ensure this, every train is equipped with an Alarm Chain Pulling (ACP) system across all coaches, intended strictly for emergencies. However, the Ferozepur Division has noticed that passengers are using this feature for non-emergency reasons, which is creating significant operational challenges.
Railway authorities noted that passengers frequently pull the chain to stop trains at stations where they are not scheduled to halt or for trivial personal reasons. This practice does not merely stop a single train; it disrupts the entire network's velocity, causing cascading delays and preventing thousands of other passengers from reaching their destinations on time. To combat this, the division regularly conducts awareness drives and issues warnings via Public Address Systems at stations.
The legal consequences for such actions are stringent. Under Section 141 of the Railways Act, pulling the alarm chain without a valid or sufficient cause can lead to a fine of up to ₹1,000, imprisonment for up to one year, or both. The Railway Protection Force (RPF) has been vigilant in enforcing these rules. From July 2025 to January 2026, the Ferozepur Division registered 1,016 cases of unauthorised chain pulling, resulting in the arrest of 913 individuals and the recovery of approximately ₹97,000 in fines.
Ferozepur Division issues a stern appeal to all rail users to refrain from unwarranted chain pulling. Authorities emphasised that such acts create unnecessary hurdles in train operations and inconvenience fellow travellers. Passengers are encouraged to use the emergency system only in genuine crises to ensure the smooth and punctual running of the railway lifeline.