Kolkata, March 25 -- Eastern Railway has raised concern over continued incidents of stone-pelting on trains and widespread ticketless travel, urging stricter public compliance with railway laws.
Data released by the railway till Tuesday show that 21 stone-pelting incidents have been reported this year across its divisions, with 21 cases registered, 11 detected and 14 persons arrested. In West Bengal, 12 incidents led to 12 cases, seven detections and 10 arrests.
The Howrah and Asansol divisions reported six incidents each, while Sealdah recorded four and Malda five. Detection and arrest rates varied, with Asansol registering only one detected case and two arrests despite six incidents.
The railway said awareness campaigns are being conducted in areas along tracks where such incidents are frequent and urged parents to caution children against throwing objects at moving trains. It reiterated that stone-pelting is a punishable offence under the Railways Act, 1989, with penalties ranging from imprisonment to life imprisonment depending on intent.
Chief Public Relations Officer Shibram Majhi said areas near tracks are under CCTV surveillance and that footage is used to identify and prosecute offenders.
In a separate statement, Eastern Railway reported 3,30,451 cases of ticketless travel in the past three months, stating that the practice affects revenue and public discipline.
It highlighted that suburban fares remain low, citing Rs 5 for travel between Sealdah and Khardaha and Rs 10 for routes such as Sealdah-Naihati and Howrah-Bandel. A monthly season ticket for the Sealdah-Naihati or Howrah-Bandel sections costs Rs 185, compared with a minimum penalty of Rs 260 for travelling without a ticket.
Passengers were asked to use digital platforms, including the Rail One app and automatic ticket vending machines, to ensure compliance and avoid queues.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.