Over 5,100 people held for misuse of alarm chain in Delhi Divison in 2025: Railways

A total of 5,180 persons were arrested in 2025 for stopping trains by misusing the alarm chain at different locations under the Delhi Rail Division, Northern Railway zone said on Wednesday, urging passengers not to pull the emergency chains for frivolous reasons.

“The act of Alarm Chain Pulling (ACP) in train not only affects the running of that particular train but also has a cascading effect on other trains hampering its punctuality. Further the misuse of ACP for the convenience of one or few passengers ends up causing inconvenience to all other passengers,” Himanshu Shekhar Upadhya, Chief Public Relation Officer, Northern Railway, said.

He stated that during the year 2025, 5,180 persons were arrested for ACP and during the first four months of year 2026 (upto April 2026), 1,483 persons were arrested.

“The most vulnerable stations/affected section/ hotspot areas were Ghaziabad, Gurgaon, New Delhi, Panipat, Rohtak, Delhi-Ghaziabad-Muzaffarnagar, New Delhi-Sonipat-Kurukshetra, Delhi Kishanganj-Rohtak-Jakhal, Delhi Sarai Rohilla-Delhi Cantt-Gurgaon & Hazrat Nizamudin-Faridabad- Palwal,” Upadhyay said.

Railways has provided the ACP option in Suburban and Mail/Express trains for use during emergencies. The alarm chain is designed to be pulled in emergency situations only to alert the Loco pilot and Train Manager(Guard) of the train.

The proper use of alarm chains in trains is critical for ensuring passenger safety and maintaining the punctuality of train services.

“It has been observed that passengers are resorting to misuse of ACP for frivolous reasons like arriving late, alighting/boarding at intermediate stations etc,” Upadhyay said.

He added, “Misuse of the alarm chain is a punishable offence under section 141 of the Railways Act which can lead to serious consequences for the offender. Penalties may include imprisonment for up to one year, a fine of Rs 1000 or both.”

As per railway norms, valid reasons to pull the alarm chain include emergencies such as fire incidents, health emergencies, criminal activities, or accidents during boarding or alighting from the train.

These situations require immediate attention from the train crew to ensure the safety and well-being of passengers.

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“Passengers should use alternative means for non-emergency situations like approaching the train’s staff, such as the Travelling Ticket Examiner (TTE), dial Rail Madad on 139 or seek help from fellow passengers,” Upadhyay stated urging passengers to plan their journey responsibly by arriving at the station well in advance, at least thirty minutes before the scheduled departure of their train.

“Arriving early not only ensures a hassle-free boarding process but also contributes to maintaining the punctuality of the train services,” he added.