Mumbai local passengers playing loud phone audio may face fines up to Rs 5,000

Playing songs, watching videos or running social media reels at high volume on a phone without earphones in Mumbai's local trains could now prove costly. Passengers on the suburban networks of Central Railway (CR) and Western Railway (WR) may face penalties. Railway officials are stepping up efforts to curb noise nuisance and improve the journey for commuters.

Under the proposed enforcement drive, railway staff will first warn passengers who play audio from their phone speakers and disturb others. Those who do not comply even after being stopped may face action under Section 145 of the Railways Act, which deals with nuisance and misconduct on railway premises.

Depending on the circumstances and the applicable legal rules, the penalty can include a fine of up to Rs 5,000 and imprisonment of up to six months. Central Railway and Western Railway have directed their staff to identify passengers playing loud audio without earphones. The drive is expected to begin with local trains and could later be extended to long-distance services.

A Western Railway official said passengers would first be asked to stop the disturbing behaviour. If they ignore the warning, railway staff may take further action.

Passengers who are troubled can complain to a ticket checker or ticket collector. Railway staff can then step in and direct the passenger to switch off the loud audio.

The reason for the strictness is that cheap mobile internet has made videos, music and reels easily available. As a result, playing content on phone speakers in crowded suburban trains has become a matter of concern. Loud sound can trouble passengers who want to rest, read or talk, especially during peak hours when coaches are packed. Such situations can also lead to arguments among passengers.

Nandkumar Deshmukh, president of the Federation of Suburban Rail Passengers Association, has explained how loud phone audio causes trouble in crowded trains and sometimes leads to quarrels. Railway officials say the aim of the initiative is to encourage passengers to respect one another's comfort in public transport.

Railway officials are also considering public announcements at stations and inside trains to tell passengers about proper behaviour. The messages could be given in Marathi, Hindi and English.

The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking has already put up stickers inside buses asking passengers not to play loud audio on their mobiles. This follows a similar initiative by Southern Railway, which had directed its divisions to focus on loud music, videos played on phone speakers and very loud conversation. The Railway Board had also issued guidelines in July 2012 to raise awareness about noisy phone calls, loud conversation and annoying ringtones.

To avoid fines, passengers should use earphones or headphones while listening to music or watching videos, keep their voice at a reasonable level on phone calls, and follow the instructions of railway staff. The proposed action does not ban ordinary mobile phone use. The focus is on behaviour that disturbs fellow passengers.