Metro rule violations to cost more as Govt moves to replace Jail terms with fines

The Centre has proposed a series of amendments to the Metro Railways (Operation and Maintenance) Act, 2002 through the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026 , aiming to strengthen commuter discipline while shifting from criminal penalties to higher monetary fines for minor offences. The Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Friday by Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada .

The proposed amendments seek to decriminalise several minor offences and replace imprisonment provisions with enhanced penalties, while also updating statutory references and introducing clearer definitions. As part of the changes, penalties for offences such as drunken behaviour, nuisance, spitting, quarrelling, sitting on the floor, and carrying offensive materials under Sections 59 and 60 are proposed to be increased from a maximum of ₹500 to ₹2,500. Similarly, under Section 62(3), acts such as defacing metro property or refusing to remove unauthorised writings or posters may attract a penalty of up to ₹10,000, replacing existing provisions of imprisonment or lower fines. In Section 64(1), which deals with unlawful entry , including entering coaches reserved for women, the proposed amendment replaces imprisonment or a fine of ₹250 with a penalty that may extend to ₹5,000.

The Bill also aligns metro laws with the country’s updated criminal framework by replacing references to the Indian Penal Code, 1860 with the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 . In addition, it introduces new definitions, including that of “demonstration,” which covers protests, rallies, sit-ins, and processions that may disrupt metro operations, and “ticket,” which now includes tokens, smart cards, and other authorised travel instruments. The chapter heading is also proposed to be revised from “Offence and Penalties” to “Offences and Contraventions.”

The move comes against the backdrop of repeated incidents of indiscipline in metro systems, including passengers travelling in a drunken state, instances of commuters being found on tracks, and frequent violations such as men entering women-only coaches. While most of these offences are not considered grave crimes, authorities note that they can pose serious safety risks and disrupt operations . The amendments therefore aim to treat such violations as civil contraventions while imposing steeper financial penalties to act as a deterrent and improve overall commuter behaviour.