If you are used to quietly lighting up a cigarette or a beedi inside a coach, a toilet or on a platform during your train journey, that habit is about to hit your wallet directly. North Western Railway has launched a special drive against passengers who smoke on trains and inside station premises. The railway administration has made it clear that rule-breakers will no longer be let off, because one passenger's small act of carelessness can put the lives and safety of fellow travellers at serious risk.
The move matters because Indian Railways has been steadily tightening its rules around passenger safety and comfortable travel. A single burning cigarette stub inside a closed coach or toilet can trigger a devastating fire, which is exactly why the railway is now taking a zero-tolerance stand on the issue.
Fine of up to two thousand rupees under a new legal provision
Jodhpur Divisional Railway Manager Anurag Tripathi shared details of the drive, saying the special checking campaign against smoking will be run with full alertness across all four divisions of North Western Railway, both on passenger trains and at stations. He made it clear that any passenger caught smoking on a train or within station premises will face strict penal action under Section 167 of the Jan Vishwas Act, 2026, and other existing rules. Under this new provision, a guilty passenger can now be slapped with a heavy fine of up to ₹2,000.
TTEs get special powers, fines issued on the spot
To make the drive effective on the ground, the railway administration has specially authorised ticket-checking staff, the TTEs. From now on, if a TTE catches a passenger smoking during the journey, they can issue a challan and collect the fine right there on the spot. Alongside this, teams from the Railway Protection Force and the Government Railway Police will carry out surprise inspections on stations and trains. According to railway officials, constant monitoring and sudden checks will ensure swift action against anyone breaking the rules.
DRM's appeal: become a partner in safe train travel
The Jodhpur DRM appealed to the general public and rail passengers, saying everyone must stay aware for the sake of passenger safety and the protection of railway property. Railway staff will keep spreading awareness through various communication channels, the announcement system and posters, urging passengers not to smoke in railway premises and on trains. Smoking inside closed coaches or toilets not only causes serious discomfort to co-passengers and harms their health, it also sharply multiplies the risk of grave incidents like a fire breaking out from a burning cigarette or beedi stub.
A safer journey with passengers' cooperation
The railway administration also clarified that the main aim of the drive is not to harass passengers but to make their journey safe and pleasant. Passenger cooperation is absolutely essential to put a complete stop to fire incidents. Officials have urged that if a passenger sees someone else smoking on a train, they should immediately complain to the TTE on duty or on the railway helpline number. Railway staff and security personnel will stay alert around the clock to make the drive a success, so that every passenger can complete their journey without any fear or inconvenience.
