Indian Railways tightens rules: Penalty for smoking, hawking, begging raised to Rs 2,000

The rules, notified by the Ministry of Railways on June 19, mark a sharper enforcement push across passenger areas. 

The changes apply to offences under the Railways Act, 1989, including smoking in prohibited areas and unauthorised vending or canvassing inside railway carriages and on railway premises.

Smoking on trains: What changes

Smoking is already prohibited in trains and railway premises under Section 167 of the Railways Act. The new provision cited by The Indian Express in a recent report, raises the penalty sharply from the earlier fine of up to Rs 100 to Rs 2,000.

If the penalty is not paid, the person can be produced before a competent court. On conviction, the fine can go up to Rs 5,000. The court fine cannot be less than Rs 2,000 unless the court records special reasons.

The change is significant because Railways has repeatedly flagged smoking and inflammable material as safety risks on trains, especially in long-distance coaches where fire incidents can quickly turn dangerous.

Unauthorised hawking and begging

The rules also tighten Section 144 of the Railways Act, which deals with hawking, canvassing for customers and begging.

Unauthorised hawking or exposing articles for sale in a railway carriage or on any part of the railway will now attract a Rs 2,000 penalty. However, this does not apply to vendors operating under a valid licence granted by the railway administration.

If the offender refuses to pay the penalty, they can be produced before a competent court. On conviction, the punishment can extend to three months in jail, a fine of up to Rs 5,000, or both.

Unless the court records special reasons, the punishment cannot be less than one month’s imprisonment or a Rs 2,000 fine.

For repeat violations, the law becomes tougher. A person found violating the same provision for the fourth time or later can face imprisonment of up to one year and a fine of up to Rs 5,000.

 The minimum punishment in such cases is three months in jail and a Rs 2,000 fine, unless the court gives special reasons.

The amended provision also says no person will be permitted to beg in any railway carriage or on any part of the railway. Such persons can be removed from the carriage, station or railway premises by authorised railway staff.

Why this matters for passengers

For passengers, the immediate impact is likely to be visible in coaches, platforms and station premises. Unauthorised vendors have long been a common feature on many routes, particularly in unreserved and sleeper coaches.

Railways has often argued that unlicensed vending creates crowding, affects passenger comfort and raises safety concerns because the source and quality of goods sold may not be regulated.

At the same time, the distinction between licensed and unlicensed vendors remains important. The new penalty does not ban licensed vending. It targets hawking or selling without railway authorisation.

The smoking penalty is more straightforward. It gives railway staff a higher deterrent against passengers smoking in coaches, toilets, vestibules or other prohibited railway areas.