Bare Acts

The Railways Act, 1989

1989 · In force · synced 11 Oct 2026

Not yet verified with the latest version of the bare act.

I — PRELIMINARY

1.Short title and commencement 2.Definitions 2A.Railway Board 2B.Mode of signifying communications from Board

II — RAILWAY ADMINISTRATIONS

3.Zonal Railways 4.Appointment of General Manager 4A.Establishment of Railway Land Development Authority 4B.Composition of Authority 4C.Terms and conditions of appointment of Vice-Chairman and other Members 4D.Functions of Authority 4E.Powers of Authority to enter into agreements and execute contracts 4F.Procedure of transaction of business of Authority 4G.Appointment of officers and other employees of Authority 4H.Salaries, allowances, etc., to be defrayed out of Consolidated Fund of India

III — COMMISSIONERS OF RAILWAY SAFETY

5.Appointment of Chief Commissioner of Railway Safety and Commissioners of Railway Safety 6.Duties of Commissioner 7.Powers of Commissioner 8.Commissioner to be public servant 9.Facilities to be afforded to Commissioners 10.Annual report of Commissioners

IV — CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE OF WORKS

11.Power of railway administrations to execute all necessary works 12.Power to alter the position of pipe, electric supply line, drain or sewer, etc 13.Protection for Government property 14.Temporary entry, upon land to remove obstruction, to repair or to prevent accident 15.Payment of amount for damage or loss 16.Accommodation works 17.Power of owner, occupier, State Government or local authority to cause additional accommodation works to be made 18.Fences, gates and bars 19.Overbridges and underbridges 20.Power of Central Government to give directions for safety 20A.Power to acquire land, etc 20B.Power to enter for survey, etc 20C.Evaluation of damages during survey, measurement, etc 20D.Hearing of objections, etc 20E.Declaration of acquisition 20F.Determination of amount payable as compensation 20G.Criterion for determination of market-value of land 20H.Deposit and payment of amount 20J.Right to enter into land where land has vested in Central Government 20K.Competent authority to have certain powers of civil court 20L.Utilisation of land for the purpose it is acquired 20M.Sharing with landowners the difference in price of a land when transferred for a higher consideration 20N.Land Acquisition Act 1 of 1894 not to apply 20P.Power to make rules in respect of matters in this Chapter

V — OPENING OF RAILWAYS

21.Sanction of the Central Government to the opening of railway 22.Formalities to be complied with before giving sanction to the opening of a railway 23.Sections 21 and 22 to apply to the opening of certain works 24.Temporary suspension of traffic 25.Power to close railway opened for the public carriage of passengers 26.Re-opening of closed railway 27.Use of rolling stock 28.Delegation of powers 29.Power to make rules in respect of matters in this Chapter

VI — FIXATION OF RATES

30.Power to fix rates 31.Power to classify commodities or alter rates 32.Power of railway administration to charge certain rates

VII

33.Tribunal 36.Complaints against a railway administration 37.Matters not within the jurisdiction of the Tribunal 38.Powers of the Tribunal 39.Reference to the Tribunal 40.Assistance by the Central Government 41.Burden of proof, etc 42.Decision, etc., of the Tribunal 43.Bar of jurisdiction of courts 44.Reliefs which the Tribunal may grant 45.Revision of decisions given by the Tribunal 46.Execution of decisions or orders of the Tribunal 47.Report to the Central Government 48.Power of the Tribunal to make regulations

VIII — CARRIAGE OF PASSENGERS

49.Exhibition of certain timings and tables of fares at stations 50.Supply of tickets on payment of fare 51.Provision for case in which ticket is issued for class or train not having accommodation for additional passengers 52.Cancellation of ticket and refund 53.Prohibition against transfer of certain tickets 54.Exhibition and surrender of passes and tickets 55.Prohibition against travelling without pass or ticket 56.Power to refuse to carry persons suffering from infectious or contagious diseases 57.Maximum number of passengers for each compartment 58.Earmarking of compartment, etc., for ladies 59.Communications between passengers and railway servant in charge of train 60.Power to make rules in respect of matters in this Chapter

IX — CARRIAGE OF GOODS

61.Maintenance of rate-books, etc., for carriage of goods 62.Conditions for receiving, etc., of goods 63.Provision of risk rates 64.Forwarding note 65.Railway receipt 66.Power to require statement relating to the description of goods 67.Carriage of dangerous or offensive goods 68.Carriage of animals suffering from infectious or contagious diseases 69.Deviation of route 70.Prohibition of undue preference 71.Power to give direction in regard to carriage of certain goods 72.Maximum carrying capacity for wagons and trucks 73.Punitive charge for overloading a wagon 74.Passing of property in the goods covered by railway receipt 75.Section 74 not to affect right of stoppage in transit or claims for freight 76.Surrender of railway receipt 77.Power of railway administration to deliver goods or sale proceeds thereof in certain cases 78.Power to measure, weigh, etc 79.Weighment of consignment on request of the consignee or endorsee 80.Liability of railway administration for wrong delivery 81.Open delivery of consignments 82.Partial delivery of consignments 83.Lien for freight or any other sum due 84.Unclaimed consignment 85.Disposal of perishable consignments in certain circumstances 86.Sales under sections 83 to 85 not to affect the right to suit 87.Power to make rules in respect of matters in this Chapter

X — SPECIAL PROVISIONS AS TO GOODS BOOKED TO NOTIFIED STATIONS

88.Definitions 89.Power to declare notified stations 90.Disposal of unremoved goods at notified stations 91.Price to be paid to person entitled after deducting dues 92.Power to make rules in respect of matters in this Chapter

XI — RESPONSIBILITIES OF RAILWAY ADMINISTRATIONS AS CARRIERS

93.General responsibility of a railway administration as carrier of goods 94.Goods to be loaded or delivered at a siding not belonging to a railway administration 95.Delay or retention in transit 96.Traffic passing over railways in India and railways in foreign countries 97.Goods carried at owner’s risk rate 98.Goods in defective condition or defectively packed 99.Responsibility of a railway administration after termination of transit 100.Responsibility as carrier of luggage 101.Responsibility as a carrier of animals 102.Exoneration from liability in certain cases 103.Extent of monetary liability in respect of any consignment 104.Extent of liability in respect of goods carried in open wagon 105.Right of railway administration to check contents of certain consignment or luggage 106.Notice of claim for compensation and refund of overcharge 107.Applications for compensation for loss, etc., of goods 108.Person entitled to claim compensation 109.Railway administration against which application for compensation for personal injury is to be filed 110.Burden of proof 111.Extent of liability of railway administration in respect of accidents at sea 112.Power to make rules in respect of matters in this Chapter

XII — ACCIDENTS

113.Notice of railway accident 114.Inquiry by Commissioner 115.Inquiry by railway administration 116.Powers of Commissioner in relation to inquiries 117.Statement made before Commissioner 118.Procedure, etc 119.No inquiry, investigation, etc., to be made if the Commission of Inquiry is appointed 120.Inquiry into accident not covered by section 113 121.Returns 122.Power to make rules in respect of matters in this Chapter

XIII — LIABILITY OF RAILWAY ADMINISTRATION FOR DEATH AND INJURY TO PASSENGERS DUE TO ACCIDENTS

123.Definitions 124.Extent of liability 124A.Compensation on account of untoward incidents 125.Application for compensation 126.Interim relief by railway administration 127.Determination of compensation in respect of any injury or loss of goods 128.Saving as to certain rights 129.Power to make rules in respect of matters in this Chapter

XIV — REGULATION OF HOURS OF WORK AND PERIOD OF REST

130.Definitions 131.Chapter not to apply to certain railway servants 132.Limitation of hours of work 133.Grant of periodical rest 134.Railway servant to remain on duty 135.Supervisors of railway labour 136.Power to make rules in respect of matters in this Chapter

XV — PENALTIES AND OFFENCES

137.Fraudulently travelling or attempting to travel without proper pass or ticket 138.Levy of excess charge and fare for travelling without proper pass or ticket or beyond authorised distance 139.Power to remove persons 140.Security for good behaviour in certain cases 141.Needlessly interfering with means of communication in a train 142.Penalty for travelling on transferred tickets 143.Penalty for unauthorised carrying on of business of procuring and supplying of railway tickets 144.Prohibition on hawking, etc., and begging 145.Drunkenness or nuisance 146.Obstructing railway servant in his duties 147.Trespass and refusal to desist from trespass 148.Penalty for making a false statement in an application for compensation 149.Making a false claim for compensation 150.Maliciously wrecking or attempting to wreck a train 151.Damage to or destruction of certain railway properties 152.Maliciously hurting or attempting to hurt persons travelling by railway 153.Endangering safety of persons travelling by railway by wilful act or omission 154.Endangering safety of persons travelling by railway by rash or negligent act or omission 155.Entering into a compartment reserved or resisting entry into a compartment not reserved 156.Travelling on roof, step or engine of a train 157.Altering or defacing pass or ticket 158.[Penalty for contravention of any of the provisions of Chapter XIV.]159.Disobedience of drivers or conductors of vehicles to directions of railway servant, etc 160.Opening or breaking a level crossing gate 161.Negligently crossing unmanned level crossing 162.Entering carriage or other place reserved for females 163.Giving false account of goods 164.Unlawfully bringing dangerous goods on a railway 165.Unlawfully bringing offensive goods on a railway 166.Defacing public notices 167.Smoking 168.Provision with respect to commission of offence by the children of acts endangering safety of person travelling on railway 169.Levy of penalty on non-Government railway 170.Recovery of penalty 171.Section 169 or 170 not to preclude Central Government from taking any other action 172.Penalty for intoxication 173.Abandoning train, etc., without authority 174.Obstructing running of train, etc 175.Endangering the safety of persons 176.[Obstructing level crossing.]177.False returns 178.Making a false report by a railway servant 179.Arrest for offences under certain sections 180.Arrest of persons likely to abscond, etc 180A.Inquiry by officer authorised to ascertain commission of offence 180B.Powers of officer authorised to inquire 180C.Disposal of persons arrested 180D.Inquiry how to be made against arrested person 180E.Search, seizure and arrest how to be made 180F.Cognizance by Court on a complaint made by officer authorised 180G.Punishment for certain offences in relation to inquiry 181.Magistrate having jurisdiction under the Act 182.Place of trial

XVI — MISCELLANEOUS

183.Power to provide other transport services 184.Taxation on railways by local authorities 185.Taxation on railways for advertisement 186.Protection of action taken in good faith 187.Restriction on exceution against railway property 188.Railway servants to be public servants for the purposes of Chapter IX and section 409 of the Indian Penal Code/189.Railway servants not to engage in trade 190.Procedure for delivery to railway administration of property detained by a railway servant 191.Proof of entries in records and documents 192.Service of notice, etc., on railway administration 193.Service of notice, etc., by railway administration 194.Presumption where notice is served by post 195.Representation of railway administration 196.Power to exempt railway from Act 197.Matters supplemental to the definitions of “railway” and “railway servant”198.General power to make rules 199.Rules to be laid before Parliament 200.Repeal and saving

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