Three ways to seek help on a train other than pulling the alarm chain

When a medical emergency arises on a train, belongings are stolen or some other problem crops up, most passengers pull the red chain in the coach. The train stops as soon as the chain is pulled, and officials arrive to help.

However, pulling the chain for minor problems is prohibited, and doing so can attract a heavy fine. It is therefore useful to know what other ways of seeking help are available.

The first is the 139 helpline, the one-stop solution number of Indian Railways. Passengers can call it for a medical emergency or any security-related problem during the journey. The call connects directly to the railway control room, where the caller only has to give their PNR number and describe the problem. Help is then arranged at the next station.

The second is the railways' official app, Rail Madad, which passengers can install on their mobile phones. A complaint can be registered on the app without calling anyone, and photographs can also be uploaded. The problem has to be described along with the PNR number. The railway system then tracks the passenger's location and sends help.

The third is the "emergency talk-back" button, which the railways have recently introduced in trains. The facility is available in several trains. Passengers can press the button in the coach and speak to describe their problem. Through it they can contact the loco pilot or the guard directly.

A complaint can thus be sent to the railways with the help of a mobile phone, and some trains also offer special emergency facilities for passenger safety. Since pulling the chain for small problems is prohibited and can draw a heavy fine, passengers are advised to remember the 139 number, the Rail Madad app and the talk-back button the next time they face trouble.