New Delhi: Keeping the volume too high while watching videos or listening to songs on your mobiles on trains or railway stations may cost you.
If the volume causes disturbance to other passengers, you could be fined Rs 1,000. Repeat offenders may have to spend six months behind the bars.
Southern Railway is the first to issue instructions to curb loud music played through mobile phone speakers on trains and at railway stations, with fines. Apart from jail terms, repeat offenders can be fined Rs 5,000.
The railway has urged passengers to use earphones and respect others’ comfort. Other zonal railways are expected to issue similar instructions soon.
Loud music and audio played through speakers on trains and at stations cause inconvenience to other passengers and affect their journey and rest, the letter issued by its Chennai headquarters of Southern Railway highlighted.
It has directed railway divisions to raise awareness through public announcement (PA) systems and notices at stations and on trains. Announcements may be made in Hindi, English and regional languages, as reported by NDTV.
The letter also refers to Railway Board instructions dated July 23, 2012, which advised passengers against speaking loudly or for long periods on mobile phones and using loud ringtones.
Such activities inconvenience fellow passengers, particularly in air-conditioned coaches, the Board has noted. It had recommended awareness campaigns urging passengers to keep their phones on silent or vibration mode, lower ringtone volumes and avoid speaking loudly on calls.
With mobile internet use growing, playing music, videos and other content through phone speakers on trains and at stations has emerged as an area of focus for authorities.
Section 145 of the Railways Act, as amended through the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026, provides for action against nuisance, indecent behaviour or wilfully interfering with amenities provided by the railway administration on railway premises.
Under the amended rules, a railway employee may remove a person causing a nuisance from the railway premises. Depending on the circumstances, the person’s pass or ticket may also be seized, and a fine of up to Rs 1,000 may be imposed.
If the person continues causing a nuisance despite a lawful direction from a railway employee, they may face simple imprisonment for up to six months, a fine of up to Rs 5,000, or both..
Southern Railway has asked the concerned divisions to submit reports on the steps taken to implement the instructions to its headquarters.
Passengers travelling on long-distance trains often face inconvenience from loud music, videos played on mobile phones and people speaking loudly on calls.