Precautions Before Starting A Train

Precautions Before Starting A Train:

Precautions before starting a train carrying passengers:

1. It is the duty of the Guard/Conductor and the Station Master on duty to see that doors of carriages are closed and outside catches, where provided, fastened before a train starts. The Guard in charge of the train, before giving the starting signal, will personally satisfy himself that no passenger is entraining or detraining.
2. The train staff at the starting stations should see that the inside catches of doors and windows, especially of the ladies compartments or carriages are in working order before the train starts.

Overcrowding: Station Masters, Guards/Conductors, and ticket checking staff should when necessary, endeavor to distribute second class passengers evenly so as not to cause overcrowding in any particular carriage or compartment. It should also be seen that the passengers do not obstruct entrance passage by placing their luggage.

No room in train: When there is overcrowding in any particular class of accommodation on a train, the Guard must convey the fact to the nearest Station Master who shall inform the Section Controller and stations ahead. The Section Controller should refer the matter to the Divisional Operating Superintendent and the Divisional Commercial Superintendent for necessary instructions, and also inform the large stations and junctions ahead, where heavy booking of passengers generally takes place. The Station Master receiving such information should warn the passengers at their stations. For clearing excess passengers, such standing instructions as issued from time to time, in regard to attaching of extra carriages to the same train or to another train etc., may be observed. On non-controlled sections, the orders of the Divisional Operating/Commercial Superintendent should be obtained through telegraph and the junctions and important stations en route should also be suitably advised.

Passengers unable to find accommodation in a train: Passengers who fail to find accommodation in the class of carriage for which they hold tickets may adopt one of the following alternatives:

• To travel by the next mail/ordinary train by which their tickets are available after getting the necessary endorsement on tickets from the Station Master on duty who will sign in full with date adding the name of his station;
• To return their tickets immediately but not later than three hours after the actual departure of the train and have their fares refunded in full;
• To travel in a lower class, if any, than that for which tickets are held in such cases, passengers must be advised to obtain a certificate from the Guard, Conductor or TTE of the train to the effect that for want of room they were compelled to travel in a lower class and to apply for a refund of difference between the fares paid and those payable for the class in which they travelled
• to approach the Booking Clerk for changing their tickets to a higher class or to obtain an excess fare ticket from the checking staff, at the station or travelling by train on payment of the difference in fares or, if the time is not sufficient, to inform the Guard/Conductor of the train for permitting them to travel in a higher class, who will issue a certificate to this effect and arrange for recovery of the difference in fares at the next stopping station.

Passengers suffering from infectious or contagious diseases detected in trains: All persons suffering from contagious or infectious diseases should be prevented from travelling by train, but where the disease is detected during the journey, the passenger with his relations or friends, if any, shall be isolated in the compartment of the carriage in which he is travelling, and if they are willing to attend to him, will be allowed to travel in the same compartment to the nearest station where there is a Medical Officer.

If there is room in the train, all other passengers, who were in the same compartment as the patient, shall be removed to another compartment, which shall be emptied for the purpose and the passengers who originally occupied it. accommodated elsewhere in the train.

It will be the duty of the Guard of the train to send advance intimation to the Medical Officer of the nearest station so that the passenger may receive medical aid immediately on arrival of the train. A report should also be sent to the police authorities and the Divisional Commercial Superintendent concerned.If a passenger or an intending passenger is found to be suffering from cholera, in addition to the usual treatment, the Station Master will be responsible for advising the District Medical Officer, the nearest Railway Police Official and the District Magistrate by an urgent telegram.

Disinfection of carriages: When any carriage has been entered by a person suffering from an infectious or contagious disease, the carriage must be disinfected in accordance with the special instructions immediately after it has arrived at its destination. No passenger should be allowed to enter it until the disinfection has been completed.

Helpless sick passengers without attendants: If a passenger or an intending passenger falls sick and is helpless, all possible assistance must be rendered by the Guard or Station Master. In extreme cases, the assistance of the police should be obtained for conveying the patient to a hospital.

Carriage of passengers in brake vans of passenger and goods trains: Passengers must not be allowed to travel in brake vans of passenger trains except in the case of railway officers and staff, and others traveling on duty and holding railway passes authorizing them to so travel.

• Station Masters may, however, permit travel in brake vans of goods trains in the following cases.
• members of the public holding a certificate from the Station Master showing that their need is urgent
• Magistrates and other Government Officials belonging to the Civil and Railway Police, Posts and Telegraphs Department, Excise and Forest Departments, etc., whose duties render it necessary to travel by goods train.
• in such cases, the railway administration may require the production of a certificate or other suitable evidence from them to establish the identity of Government Officials
• railway officers and staff holding passes authorizing them to travel in brake vans of goods trains and
• Government Officials belonging to other departments, in emergent cases, when traveling on duty.
• Each of the passengers permitted to travel in the brake van of a goods train will execute an indemnity note.

On controlled sections, the Station Master must obtain the permission of the Deputy Chief Controller before giving permission to any person to travel in the brake van of a goods train. On non-controlled sections, the Station Master on duty may exercise his discretion and grant such permission were considered necessary. It should, however, be noted that permission to travel in the brake van of a goods train should be granted only in exceptional emergent circumstances and not as a matter of routine.

Special permission may, in normal circumstances, be given only when no suitable passenger train is available.The number of persons permitted to travel in the brake van of goods train in addition to the Guard should not exceed five. Lady passengers and minors shall not be allowed to travel in the brake vans of goods or passenger trains. This, however, does not refer to cases of injured women being carried to a station for medical assistance. Note.In the case of Government Officials, railway administration may permit travel in brake van of goods train on recovery of fares lower than first class i.e. second class fares in accordance with any practice in force over that railway.

Earmarking of Compartment, etc., for ladies:“Section 58. Every railway administration shall, in every train carrying passengers, earmark for the exclusive use of females, one compartment or such number of berths or seats, as the railway administration may think fit.”

Communications between passengers and railway servant in charge of train:“Section 59. A railway administration shall provide and maintain in every train carrying passengers, such efficient means of communication between the passengers and the railway servant in charge of the train as may be approved by the Central Government: Provided that where the railway administration is satisfied that the means of communication provided in a train are being misused, it may cause such means to be disconnected in that train for such period as it thinks fit: Provided further that the Central Government may specify the circumstances under which a railway administration may be exempted from providing such means of communication in any train.”

Entering carriage or other place reserved for females: “Section 162. If a male person knowing or having reason to believe that a carriage, compartment, berth or seat in a train or room or other place is reserved by a railway administration for the exclusive use of females, without lawful excuse,enters such carriage, compartment, room or other place, or having entered such carriage, compartment, room or place, remains therein occupies any such berth or seat having been required by any railway servant to vacate it, he shall, in addition to being liable to forfeiture of his pass or ticket, be punishable with fine which may extent to five hundred rupees and may also be removed by any railway servant”

Checking of tickets of lady passengers traveling in compartments reserved for ladies exclusively: The checking of compartments reserved for females will ordinarily be done by Lady Ticket Collectors/Examiners. Male Ticket Collectors orTravelling Ticket Examiners must not enter “Females” compartments but may check their tickets from the platforms only.

Checking of tickets and passes of passengers traveling by goods trains: Guards in charge of goods trains must check tickets and passes of passengers who travel in their brake vans to ensure that the tickets or passes are actually available for such travel. It should also be seen by the Guards that such passes/tickets are collected by the staff at destination stations.

Powers to remove persons from railway carriages: Passengers, who travel without proper tickets or any other authority, or who do not present for examination or deliver up their tickets on demand and fail to pay the charges due, should be removed from the carriage under section 139 of the Railways Act which reads as under “Section 139″.Any person failing or refusing to pay the fare and the excess charge referred to in section 138 may be removed by any railway servant authorized in this behalf who may call to his aid any other person to effect such removal.

Provided that nothing in this section shall be deemed to preclude a person removed from a carriage of a higher class from continuing his journey in a carriage of a class for which he holds a pass or ticket.Provided further that a woman or a child if unaccompanied by a male passenger, shall not be so removed except either at the station from where she or he commences her or his journey or at a junction or terminal station or station at the headquarters of a civil district and such removal shall be made only during the day.”

Railway servants authorized to remove passengers from railway carriages: The following railway servants, when on duty and in uniform, or otherwise when they are in possession of Identity Cards/letters of authority authorizing them to check in ‘Mufti’, are empowered to remove a passenger from a railway carriage under section 139:

• Station Master
• Assistant Station Master
• Guards/Conductors
• Chief/Head Ticket Inspectors/Collectors and
• Ticket Collectors/Examiners

The power of arrest should be exercised with the greatest caution and never be exercised by railway servants themselves at stations where railway police are posted. At such places, the railway police should invariably be called upon to make the necessary arrest. It must be clearly understood that the railway police are not to be called upon or allowed to collect the excess fare from passengers. Their services are to be requisitioned only when payment is refused, and there is the reason to believe that the passenger will abscond, or if his name and address are not known and he refuses to give them, or if there is the good reason to believe that the name and address given are incorrect.

When a female passenger is found traveling without a ticket, unaccompanied by any friends or relatives, and has not the means to pay the excess fare due, she should be dealt with in terms of para 532. Further, at a station, if she cannot provide a reliable address, the Station Master must see that every possible protection is afforded to her while on railway premises. She should be treated considerately pending receipt of instructions from the Divisional Commercial Superintendent or the police. At the station where there is an Ayah, the passenger should be placed under her protection.