The railways has urged its customers to exercise caution by refraining from carrying flammable items, including firecrackers, on board trains or within railway premises.

In a release, Southern Railway’s Palakkad Division said the chemical properties of such items pose a significant risk, as even a minor spark can lead to serious consequences, endangering railway property and passengers’ lives. “Rail users are therefore strongly advised not to carry or attempt to book flammable materials as baggage or parcels, including items such as gas cylinders, petrol, diesel, kerosene, stoves, matchboxes, cigarette lighters and other explosive materials, including firecrackers.” the division said.

As described in Sections 67, 164 and 165 of the Railway Act, 1989, carriage of inflammable or explosive material on railways is strictly prohibited and constitutes a punishable offence. Violators may be fined up to INR 1,000 or imprisoned for up to three years. In addition, criminals will bear responsibility for any loss, damage or injury.

“In the interest of public safety, Palakkad Division requests passengers to immediately inform railway authorities if they observe any suspicious material, such as firecrackers, on trains or at stations,” the notice said. Passengers can report such incidents through the toll-free railway helpline ‘139’ or by contacting railway staff on duty.

Specialized teams of Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Government Railway Police (GRP) equipped with sniffer dogs are deployed at key stations to monitor passengers and parcels. Enhanced CCTV surveillance is being implemented at major stations to detect unusual activities. Ticket checking teams have increased their inspections at prominent stations to ensure the safety of railway users during the Deepavali season.