Chennai: During train travel, listening to songs at high volume on mobile phones, watching reels videos, playing games, talking loudly on mobile phones, and using obscene ringtones cause inconvenience to fellow passengers. Many passengers have complained about this.
To control this, under the amended Jan Vishwas Act of 2026, causing nuisance to the public has been made a punishable offense. Accordingly, Southern Railway has instructed all divisions that if anyone creates a disturbance for fellow passengers by playing songs or videos loudly on a cellphone at railway stations and on trains without using headphones, they will now face a fine of Rs. 1,000 or a prison term of 6 months, or both.
Regarding this, Southern Railway Users’ Advisory Committee member Jafar Ali said, “This fine can be collected by the ticket examiner or by commercial department officials with equivalent or higher authority. It has stated that if the warning is violated and the nuisance continues, a fine of up to Rs. 5,000 can be imposed. Furthermore, Southern Railway has instructed that warning announcements in Tamil, Hindi, and English be made at railway stations and on trains through public address systems, and that stickers be pasted to create awareness among passengers,” he said.
Passengers who cause trouble to fellow travelers will have their tickets confiscated and will be deboarded. It has been announced as a penalty detail that if the violation continues even after railway staff warn them, the law provides for a simple imprisonment of up to 6 months, a fine, or both.