Palakkad: Rising alarm chain pulling incidents have emerged as one of the reasons for adversely affecting the efficiency and punctuality of the entire Indian railway network system. In Palakkad Division alone, at least six incidents are reported every day, Railway data shows.

From January 2023 to October 2023, the division recorded 614 cases of chain pulling, underscoring the need for immediate attention and remedial measures, Railway officials said. Among the reported cases, only 168 were found to be genuine cases or emergencies, while 446 were found to be non-genuine incidents. What’s more worrisome was chain pullings have resulted in a cumulative delay of 11 hours, 48 minutes, they said.

Of the 614 cases, 283 were registered by the Railway Protection Force (RPF), by analysing and investigating the reason for chain pulling. Alarm chain-pulling incidents were most prevalent in general coaches, with 406 cases occurring in these compartments. The incidents raise questions about the motive behind false alarm chain pulling, officials said who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Certain trains have proven to be particularly vulnerable to alarm chain pulling. Top 'sufferers' include the Ernakulam Junction-Hazrat Nizamuddin Mangala Superfast Express (train no. 12617), the Mangaluru Central -Dr MGR Chennai Central Superfast Express (no. 12686) and the Thiruvananthapuram Central-Lokmanya Tilak Terminus Netravati Express (no. 16346).

Railway authorities said the alarm chain is one of the crucial safety mechanisms which is intended for use in genuine emergencies to bring the train to an immediate halt. However, rising alarm chain pullings have emerged as a persistent concern, causing disruptions and inconveniences for both passengers and the railway authorities.

Specific trains and timings!
Specific sections of the railway network in the Palakkad division have emerged as hotspots for these incidents, the data shows. The Palakkad Junction–Shoranur Junction, Podanur Junction–Palakkad Junction and Kannur–Kasaragod sections have witnessed a disproportionate number of alarm chain-pulling incidents.

Time too plays a significant role in these incidents, with peak hours between 6 pm and 8 pm, followed by 8 pm and 10 pm, and 4 pm to 6 pm being the most affected periods.

Inconvenience and punctuality
At a time when Railways is trying to increase the speed and number of trains and stick to the timetable,

these incidents have become a real headache for the authorities. “Efforts are on to educate passengers about the proper use of the alarm chains to ensure they are utilised only in genuine emergencies. The spate of chain pullings resulted in a cumulative downtime of 689 minutes, which interrupted the smooth functioning of the rail network in the Palakkad division,” said a senior official from the Palakkad division.

But why do passengers pull the chain? “They give several reasons for causing an emergency stop. Some say they have dropped their valuables through windows or doors; or that their co-passengers, who got off to buy snacks, couldn’t re-board before the train started moving; or they overslept and missed their destination...They may even claim they were helping their imaginary passengers. Non-genuine chain pulling is punishable under section 141 of the Railways Act, 1989. Those who flout the law may be imprisoned for up to one year or slapped with a fine of Rs 1,000, or both,” said a senior RPF official.