3 min readAug 26, 2026 05:55 PM IST
Indian Railways new penalty rules 2026 for passengers: Indian Railways has increased the fine for littering at railway stations and on trains to Rs 1,000. The new penalty is aimed at keeping railway premises cleaner and to discourage passengers from littering or violating cleanliness rules.
In a gazette notification issued on August 24, the Ministry of Railways stated: “In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (g) of sub-section (2) and subsection (3) of section 60 of the Railways Act, 1989 (24 of 1989), the Central Government hereby makes the following rules, to amend the Indian Railways (Penalties for activities affecting cleanliness at railway premises) Rules, 2012, namely:-
1. Short title and Commencement. –
- These rules may be called the Indian Railways (Penalties for activities affecting cleanliness at railway premises) Amendment Rules, 2026.
- They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.”
As per the notification, under the amended rules, the penalty for violating cleanliness rules on railway premises has been increased to Rs 1,000, up from the earlier maximum fine of Rs 500. If the penalty is not paid, the person may be taken before a competent court, which can impose a fine of up to Rs 2,000.
“In the Indian Railways (Penalties for activities affecting cleanliness at railway premises) Rules, 2012, in rule 4, for the words “punished with a fine which shall not exceed five hundred rupees”, the words “liable to penalty of one thousand rupees, and in the event of non-payment of the penalty, the person so failing shall be produced before a competent court having jurisdiction which may impose a fine which may extend to two thousand rupees” shall be substituted.
Which cleanliness violations can lead to a Rs 1,000 fine?
According to the Railways, passengers and other people on railway premises are not allowed to throw or leave litter at stations, on railway premises or inside train coaches, except in designated places.
The people are also prohibited from cooking, bathing, spitting, urinating, defecating, feeding animals or birds, washing vehicles, utensils or clothes, or storing items on railway premises, unless facilities have been specifically provided for these activities.
Passengers also cannot put up posters, write or draw on train coaches or railway property without permission. Any act that damages or defaces railway property is also prohibited. Meanwhile, the authorised vendors and hawkers must keep dustbins or waste containers for collecting litter and ensure that the waste is properly disposed of.
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Who is authorised to collect the penalty?
According to the Indian Railways (Penalties for Activities Affecting Cleanliness at Railway Premises) Rules, 2012, certain railway officials are authorised to collect the penalty.
These include Station Masters or Station Managers, Ticket Collectors of the Commercial Department or officials of an equivalent rank in the Operating Department, and other officials authorised by the Railway Administration to enforce these rules.