Men in ladies' coaches: Southern Railway collects lakhs in fines as penalties get steeper

Southern Railway is intensifying its crackdown on male passengers who trespass into train compartments and waiting rooms reserved exclusively for women, collecting substantial penalties over the last three years. According to official data released by the Railway Protection Force (RPF) under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, the Thiruvananthapuram division alone registered 1,637 cases and recovered ₹3.45 lakh in fines between 2024 and August 2026.

The data highlights a concerning upward trend in such violations in the Thiruvananthapuram division. In 2024, the division recorded 467 cases, which rose to 802 in 2025. By August 2026, another 368 cases were registered. Fine collections spiked dramatically, primarily due to an amendment in penalty structures. While the RPF collected ₹16,630 in 2024 and ₹72,100 in 2025, the collections shot up to ₹2.56 lakh in the first eight months of 2026 alone.

Chennai division leads in violations
Among all divisions under Southern Railway, Chennai recorded the highest number of violations. Between 2024 and August 2026, Chennai authorities registered 4,395 cases and collected ₹11 lakh in fines. In comparison, the Salem division recorded 285 cases with ₹1,35,600 in fines from 2024 to July 2026, while the Madurai division registered 187 cases and collected ₹58,700 over the three-year period.

Stricter laws and steeper fines
Under Section 162 of the Railway Act, the unauthorised entry of male passengers into spaces reserved for women is a punishable offence. To curb this growing menace, the rules were amended in 2026, raising the spot fine fivefold from ₹500 to ₹2,500. If an offender fails to pay the penalty on the spot, they are produced before a railway court, where magistrates can impose a fine of up to ₹5,000. Furthermore, security personnel are legally empowered to physically remove such passengers from the train to ensure safe and comfortable travel for women.