New Delhi: Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Uma Bharti has raised concerns over railway operations after a dramatic incident at Jhansi station, where she narrowly boarded the Punjab Mail following a mysterious alarm chain pull. 

Bharti, who arrived at the station ahead of schedule due to mobility issues, was being transported by a battery cart when delays on the tracks including a long train crossing and a handcart stuck on the line slowed her movement. By the time she reached Platform 4, the train had already started moving. Someone pulled the alarm chain, halting the train, allowing her to board. Bharti later said she does not know who pulled the chain but stressed that the episode highlights gaps in railway sensitivity and modernisation. 

Alarm Chain Pulling: Rules & Penalties 

Alarm chains in trains are meant strictly for emergency situations such as passenger safety or security threats. Misuse is a punishable offence under Section 141 of the Indian Railways Act, 1989, carrying penalties of imprisonment up to one year, or fine up to Rs 1,000, or both. 

According to Southern Railway, 2,632 cases of unauthorised alarm chain pulling were registered in FY 2023‑24, with 2,618 persons arrested and fines totalling over Rs 15.45 lakh collected. Officials have warned that unnecessary stoppages delay not just one train but also disrupt the schedules of many others running behind it. 

Railways repeatedly appeal to passengers: “DO NOT MISUSE ALARM CHAINS IN TRAINS.” Instead, grievances should be reported to the Traveling Ticket Examiner (TTE) or through the RailMadad helpline (139) and app, which provide a structured redressal mechanism. 

Bharti emphasised that while railway modernisation is important, practical sensitivity must not be overlooked. She pointed out that elderly, differently‑abled, and passengers with children or heavy luggage often struggle with current arrangements. Her Jhansi ordeal, she said, was not about individual fault but about systemic lapses that need urgent attention.