The move seeks to address the issue of passengers using their mobile phones or other gadgets to play music or videos during the journey, often causing inconvenience to fellow travellers. File.
| Photo Credit: C Venkatachalapathy
The Indian Railways has warned of punitive action, including imprisonment, against passengers who play audio/video on speaker mode, causing inconvenience to others on trains and at railway premises.
Calling for a more responsible use of mobile phones to ensure a peaceful and comfortable journey for fellow passengers, the railways appealed to passengers to use earphones and keep phone conversations at a low volume.
The move seeks to address the issue of passengers using their mobile phones or other gadgets to play music or videos during the journey, often causing inconvenience to fellow travellers.
“Loud and prolonged phone conversations and disturbing ringtones can inconvenience others, particularly in enclosed spaces such as AC coaches,” the railways said.
Going by the provisions under Section 145(2) of the Railways Act, 1989, as amended by the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026, conduct that constitutes a nuisance would attract a fine of ₹1,000 in addition to removal from the railway and forfeiture of the pass or ticket.
The railways said that “if a person continues the nuisance after being directed to stop by a railway servant lawfully authorised to issue such a direction, the punishment may extend to six months’ simple imprisonment or a fine of up to ₹5,000, or both.”
Published – October 10, 2026 03:38 am IST
