Railway gets tough on passengers travelling without masks

Amid surge in COVID-19 cases, the Tiruchi Railway Divisional authorities have begun imposing fines on those found not wearing masks on railway premises consequent to a directive from the Railway Board

Amid surge in COVID-19 cases, the Tiruchi Railway Divisional authorities have begun imposing fines on those found not wearing masks on railway premises consequent to a directive from the Railway Board, New Delhi. The drive commenced from Saturday with the railway authorities slapping a fine amount of ₹500 each on 14 persons found without wearing masks in railway stations and on board trains across Tiruchi division to begin with. The fine was imposed under the Indian Railways (Penalties for activities affecting cleanliness at Railway Premises), Rules 2012. The Travelling Ticket Examiners (TTEs) have been instructed to impose fines on those found not wearing masks in the railway station and on board trains, a senior railway official here said. The Tiruchi Railway Division had been insisting for quite some time on the need to wear masks at railway station premises and on board trains in the wake of the pandemic. Stickers and boards alerting public to wear masks and containing information about the fine amount for not wearing masks have been pasted in major stations falling under the limits of Tiruchi Division including at Tiruchi junction, Villupuram junction, Mayiladuthurai junction, Tiruvarur junction and Puducherry.