Following commuters’ refusal to pay the revised fine of Rs 500 for spitting and littering, Indian Railways has reduced the amount to Rs 200.



A ticket collector stops commuters at Churchgate station for littering

Following commuters' refusal to pay the revised fine of Rs 500 for spitting and littering, Indian Railways has reduced the amount to Rs 200. Earlier, the amount was Rs 100, but when that proved ineffective, it was increased to Rs 500. However, the new amount doesn’t appear to be working either.

From September 17, both Central and Western Railway have been conducting a special drive to catch commuters who litter and spit on rail premises. More than 79 lakh Mumbaikars take the suburban local trains daily and in the last one week the Central and Western Railways collected a combined fine amount of Rs 3.9 lakh. But, according to authorities, commuters have been repeatedly refusing to pay Rs 500, making it increasingly difficult for the Railway Board to recover the fine amount.

A Bakare, Executive Director (Environment and House keeping), Railway Board said, "We set the fine amount at Rs 500 but zonal railways have to take a call on how much fine they want to impose considering local conditions.” Saurabh Prasad, Additional Divisional Railway Manager (Mumbai), Western Railway said, “We proposed that the fine amount be made Rs 200 — it is not as low as Rs 100 and not as high as Rs 500 either. So it can prove effective in deterring commuters from littering."

Ticket checkers at local railway stations have been asked to collect fines from commuters who litter the railway premises. According to sources, they specifically look for those who empty waste from their pockets and purses on the railway tracks and platforms. Authorities use CCTV cameras to catch guilty commuters on the spot. On an average, in a day, they manage to pin down 100-120 people. While WR has collected a fine amount of Rs 86,800 from 868 commuters, on the CR network, 1,099 commuters have paid a total fine amount of Rs 3 lakh.

Further, authorities plan to segregate dry and wet waste at railway stations, for which separate dustbins will be provided. Plastic bottle crushing machines have been installed at Churchgate station and there are plans to install at least nine more.

15,000

Passengers fined by Indian Railways for littering platforms in Swacchta Abhiyan Week