Chandigarh Railway Station: 98 auto drivers booked for unauthorised entry last year
Amarjot Kaur
Chandigarh, January 22
The Railway Protection Force (RPF) at the Chandigarh railway station has registered cases against 98 auto drivers for unauthorised entry at the station last year under Sections 144, 147 and 159 of the Indian Railways Act, 1989.
The RPF authorities said the decision to press charges against regular offenders was seen as the last resort to curb the menace of unauthorised entry of drivers to the prohibited areas on the railway station premises.
According to the data provided by the station, a maximum number of auto drivers, as many as 21, were booked by the RPF in the month of January last year. In February, the number plummeted to 2, 5 and 4 in February, March and April, respectively. In May and June, not even a single auto driver was booked for unauthorised entry. In July again, the number rose to 20. The figure dwindled thereafter.
According to Section 144 of the Indian Railways Act, 1989, if a person canvasses for any custom or hawks or exposes for sale any article whatsoever in any railway carriage or upon any part of a railway, except under and in accordance with the terms and conditions of a licence granted by the railway administration in this behalf, will be punishable with imprisonment for a term, which may extend to one year, or with fine that may extend to Rs2,000, or with both.
The Section 147 applies to trespass and refusal to desist from trespass, failing which a person will be punishable with imprisonment for a term, which may extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to Rs1,000, or with both. Under Section 148, if anyone is found guilty for making a false statement in an application for compensation, the person will be punishable with imprisonment for a term, which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both.
An RPF official said: “We have been keeping a constant check on unauthorised entries of auto drivers on the station premises and have done everything from reprimanding them to booking them, but this needs to be checked. We are now keeping a stricter check.”
Last resort to curb menace
The RPF authorities said the decision to press charges against regular offenders was seen as the last resort to curb the menace of unauthorised entry of drivers to the prohibited areas on the railway station premises.
