“To avoid penal measures, male passengers should not travel in ladies compartments or ladies special trains. There are alternative compartments or trains available with enough space for the male travellers,” it said in a statement.

However, to prevent male passengers from travelling in ladies’ compartments, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) regularly conducts special drives against unauthorised entry into coaches reserved for women.

Travelling in a ladies coach? Male passengers face Rs 2,500 fine under new rules

Now, under the provisions of the Jan Vishwas Act, 2026, the penalty for offences under Section 162 of the Railways Act has been increased from Rs 500 to Rs 2,500, with effect from June 20, 2026.

In a gazette notification issued on June 19, the Ministry of Railways stated: “In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (2) of section 1 of the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026 (8 of 2026), the Central Government hereby appoints the date of publication of this notification as the date on which the provisions of the said Act, in so far as it relates to serial number 52…the Railways Act, 1989 (24 of 1989) respectively, shall come into force.”

What happens if a male passenger travels in a ladies coach? Indian Railways Rules 2026 Explained

According to the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026, serial number 52, for section 162, the following section shall be substituted, namely:

“Entering carriage or other place reserved for females — (1) If a male person knowing or having reason to believe that a carriage, compartment, berth or seat in a train or room or other place is reserved by a railway administration for the exclusive use of females, without lawful excuse, –

(a) enters such carriage, compartment, room or other place, or having entered such carriage, compartment, room or place, remains therein; or

(b) occupies any such berth or seat having been required by any railway servant to vacate it, he shall, in addition to being liable to forfeiture of his pass or ticket, liable to pay penalty of two thousand and five hundred rupees and may also be removed by any railway servant.

he shall, in addition to being liable to forfeiture of his pass or ticket, liable to pay penalty of two thousand and five hundred rupees and may also be removed by any railway servant.”

However, if a passenger fails to pay the penalty, the individual may be produced before the competent court and, shall on conviction, can be punished with a fine of up to Rs 5,000.

“If a person found to be liable to penalty under sub-section (1) and refuses to pay the penalty, shall be produced before the competent court having jurisdiction, and shall on conviction be punishable with a fine which may extend up to five thousand rupees:

Provided that in the absence of special and adequate reasons to the contrary to be mentioned in the judgment of the court, such punishment shall not be less than a fine of two thousand and five hundred rupees:

Provided further that notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, no proceeding under this section shall be initiated against any transgender person, as defined in clause (k) of section 2 of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 (40 of 2019),” reads the gazette notification.