As part of South East Central Railway’s (SECR) intensive cleanliness drive, the Raipur railway station authorities had so far penalised as many as 532 people of Rs53,200 for spoiling the platforms during the last five days.
After the failure of several awareness campaigns, requests and sign boards to convince travellers to keep platforms and trains clean, the Raipur Railway division decided to prosecute offenders with a fine of upto Rs100.
The railway officials claimed that five-days long activities borne fruitful results as all the platforms of the Raipur railway station were seen comparatively more
cleaner.
The step was taken in order to maintain clean and green environment in trains and in premises of railway stations, the officials added.
Throwing garbage, urinating, bathing, defecating, washing utensils and clothes, feeding animals or birds on railway premises–station buildings, platforms, rail tracks and trains –will be punishable according to instructions issued by the senior railway officials.
Following the instructions issued by SECR, authorised vendors and hawkers will have to make arrangements to keep waste baskets or containers for collecting litter and ensure its proper disposal.
The railway supervisors, inspectors and senior officials have been asked to conduct inspection at the platforms and check if the orders are being followed.
To implement the fresh measures, railways has also asked the station master/ manager and other officials concerned to keep an eye on passengers littering on platforms and trains to punish the
offenders.
The authority made an appeal to the people not to throw waste or litter on railway station platforms; not to put wastes or litter on board trains at stations and to create litter-free zones in and around the railway premises.
"We have launched cleanliness campaigns appealing for passengers' cooperation to keep platforms and trains clean. However, as this did not help much, so now, we have decided to penalize those found littering" a senior railway official said, adding that the provision of fine will be implemented properly and we are hoping this will yield desired results.