Eastern Railway has initiated a massive safety campaign against individuals trespassing onto railway tracks to record social media reels and risk their lives. Under the directives of General Manager Gitika Pandey, the Railway Protection Force has been instructed to take stringent legal action against offenders. Chief Security Commissioner Amiya Nandan Sinha has spearheaded efforts across all divisions to curb unauthorized entry and dangerous stunts near tracks. Between May 1 and July 31, 2026, the RPF registered 828 cases under Section 147 of the Railways Act. Authorities detected 813 cases and arrested 853 individuals across the Howrah, Sealdah, Asansol, and Malda divisions. During this period, courts imposed a total of Rs 3,18,220 in judicial fines, while an additional Rs 33,12,900 was recovered through various penalty cases.
In the Asansol division, 152 cases were registered and detected, leading to the arrest of 156 people along with 561 fine cases resulting in Rs 90,900 in court fines and Rs 2,82,000 recovered. The Howrah division recorded 96 cases with 97 arrests, alongside 3,468 penalty cases yielding Rs 51,320 in court fines and Rs 17,33,900 in recovered amounts. The Malda division saw 298 registered cases, 288 detections, and 300 arrests, accompanied by 1,145 fine cases totaling Rs 37,500 in judicial penalties and Rs 5,78,500 in collections. Meanwhile, the Sealdah division reported 282 registered cases, 277 detections, and 300 arrests, alongside 1,434 fine cases generating Rs 1,38,500 in court fines and Rs 7,18,500 in collected revenue.
Unauthorized track crossings and trespassing have remained a chronic issue for railway operations and passenger safety.
Eastern Railway Chief Public Relations Officer ECR Shivram Prasad Majhi emphasized that risking one's life for social media content or taking shortcuts is entirely unacceptable. Passengers and residents living near tracks are strongly urged to utilize official overbridges and designated pathways instead of trespassing on active railway lines.
