Accommodation Of Passengers:
Accommodation of passengers: Guards, Conductors, Station Masters and Reservation Clerks in the case of the large station, are responsible for seeing that upper and lower class passengers who have reserved their berths/seats in advance in compartments/carriages are properly accommodated. In the case of compartments/carriages which are not reserved, Guards, Conductors, Ticket Collectors and Station Masters should see that passengers are not inconvenienced in finding accommodation in them.
Passengers refusing to vacate seats, berths or compartments already reserved for other passengers.If a passenger occupies a seat, berth or a compartment reserved for another passenger and refuses to vacate it, he should be tactfully approached and an endeavor made to persuade him to vacate the same. These efforts failing, the staff should inform the offending passenger that he has committed an offense under subsection of section 155 of the Railways Act, which reads as under “.
If any passenger having entered a compartment wherein no berth or seat has been reserved by a railway administration for his use having unauthorizedly occupied a berth or seat reserved by a railway administration for the use of another passenger, refuses to leave it when required to do so by any railway servant, authorised in this behalf, such railway servant may remove him or cause him to be removed with the aid of any other person, from the compartment, berth or seat, as the case may be, and he shall also be punishable with the fine which may extend to five hundred rupees.”
If the offending passenger still persists, the staff should, if necessary, call upon the Government Railway Police to take necessary action in getting the reserved accommodation vacated.
Passengers obstructing the entry of others into compartment: If a passenger obstructs entry of another into a compartment where accommodation is available and continues to cause obstruction after due warning has been given, the Station Master may, if necessary, report the matter to the Police for taking action under sub-section of section 155 of the Railways Act which reads as under “Section 155″. If any passenger resists the lawful entry of another passenger into a compartment not reserved for the use of the passenger resisting, he shall be punishable by the fine which may extend to two hundred rupees”.
Passengers not permitted to travel in higher class than that for which fares have been paid: Passengers must not be permitted to travel in, or be put into, a higher class than that for which fares have been paid except in accordance with tariff rules, nor must a higher class of carriage or compartment be demoted as available for use by passengers holding lower class tickets unless permitted by a competent authority.
Reserved accommodation for females: Every railway administration shall, in every train carrying passengers, earmark for the exclusive use of females, one compartment or the such number of berths or seats as the railway administration may feel fit. Carriages and compartments reserved for females must not be allowed to be occupied by men. Such carriages or compartments, when not being used by females must be kept locked by Guards of trains. Station Masters at intermediate stations must see that none but female passengers get into females reserved carriage or compartment Boys under twelve years of age, however, may travel in a female reserved compartment when accompanying female passengers. Occupation of ladies compartment by ladies is optional, not compulsory and if any lady passenger prefers to travel in a general compartment, she may be permitted to do so.
At stations where lady Ticket Collectors are posted, it is their duty to especially interesting themselves in accommodating lady passengers. At stations where lady Ticket Collectors are not posted, the staff is warned that lady passengers are not to have interfered with more than is consistent with duty. Male Travelling Ticket Examiners are strictly forbidden to enter carriages or compartments reserved for ladies on any pretext whatsoever.
Military personnel entering compartments reserved for females:Military personnel found entering compartments/carriages reserved for females should be politely prevented from entering such compartments/carriages and advised to travel in a general compartment on the train, pointing out at the same time that occupation of females compartment by male passengers is strictly forbidden and is an offence under section 162 of the Railways Act. Should the staff encounter difficulties in preventing the military personnel from entering the ladies compartments/carriages, the assistance of the area military authority should be sought, where necessary.
Travelling on footboards and on the roofs of the train or engine of trains: Passengers must not be allowed to travel on footboards or on the roofs of carriages or engine of a train. If a passenger, after being warned by a railway servant to desist, persists in travelling on the roof, steps or footboard of any carriage or on an engine, or in any other part of the train not intended for the use of passengers, the assistance of the police should be requisitioned for taking action against him under section 156 of the Railways Act which reads as under.
If any passenger, or any other person, after being warned by a railway servant to desist, persists in travelling on the roof, steps or footboard of any carriage or on an engine, or in any other part of a train not intended for the use of passengers, he shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three months, or with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees or with both and may be removed from the railway by any railway servant”.