Centre Proposes Hike In Metro Penalties Under Jan Vishwas Bill

06 Apr 2026 CW Team

The Bill proposes substituting the reference to section 21 of the Indian Penal Code with clause (28) of section two of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. Sections 59(1) and 60(1), which cover drunkenness, nuisance, spitting, sitting on the floor in the train, quarrelling and taking offensive materials, would see fines replaced by penalties that may extend to Rs 2,500.

The draft would replace the provision in Section 62(3) that allowed imprisonment of up to six months or a fine of up to Rs 1,000, or both, with a penalty that may extend to Rs 10,000 for writing or pasting material in compartments and refusing to remove it. Section 64(1), relating to unlawful entry including entering a coach reserved for women, would replace imprisonment of up to three months or a fine of up to Rs 250, or both, with a penalty that may extend to Rs 5,000.

A new clause (ba) in Section two(1) is proposed to define demonstration as a public display of group opinion or feelings involving protests, rallies, marches, gatherings or processions, sit-ins and picketing that may disrupt Metro operations and inconvenience the public. A new clause (t) would define ticket as any authority to travel including token, smart card, multimodal transport card or any other travel instrument authorised by the Metro rail administration. The chapter heading in Chapter XI is proposed to be changed from Offence and Penalties to Offences and Contraventions. The amendments are presented as measures to streamline enforcement and to deter misconduct on the Metro.

The Centre has proposed amendments to the Metro Railways (Operation and Maintenance) Act, 2002 through the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026 to increase penalties for certain offences. The Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha by the Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, Jitin Prasada. The draft seeks to replace some criminal punishments with monetary penalties, to raise fine amounts, to add definitions and to update statutory references. The Bill proposes substituting the reference to section 21 of the Indian Penal Code with clause (28) of section two of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. Sections 59(1) and 60(1), which cover drunkenness, nuisance, spitting, sitting on the floor in the train, quarrelling and taking offensive materials, would see fines replaced by penalties that may extend to Rs 2,500. The draft would replace the provision in Section 62(3) that allowed imprisonment of up to six months or a fine of up to Rs 1,000, or both, with a penalty that may extend to Rs 10,000 for writing or pasting material in compartments and refusing to remove it. Section 64(1), relating to unlawful entry including entering a coach reserved for women, would replace imprisonment of up to three months or a fine of up to Rs 250, or both, with a penalty that may extend to Rs 5,000. A new clause (ba) in Section two(1) is proposed to define demonstration as a public display of group opinion or feelings involving protests, rallies, marches, gatherings or processions, sit-ins and picketing that may disrupt Metro operations and inconvenience the public. A new clause (t) would define ticket as any authority to travel including token, smart card, multimodal transport card or any other travel instrument authorised by the Metro rail administration. The chapter heading in Chapter XI is proposed to be changed from Offence and Penalties to Offences and Contraventions. The amendments are presented as measures to streamline enforcement and to deter misconduct on the Metro.

Infrastructure Energy

05 Jun 2026

India Adds Record 44.61 GW Solar Capacity in FY2026

India’s solar sector reached a milestone in FY2026, with cumulative installed capacity crossing 150 GW and annual additions hitting a record 44.61 GW, exceeding the government target of 34 GW and nearly doubling FY2025’s 23.83 GW. Distributed Renewable Energy contributed 16.3 GW, while PPA and C&I segments accounted for 34 per cent and 30 per cent, respectively.India has risen from 9th globally in 2015 to 3rd in cumulative solar capacity by 2025 and is set to become the world’s second-largest solar market in annual installations in 2026. Seven states, led by Rajasthan and Gujarat, ac..

Real Estate

05 Jun 2026

Abhee Ventures unveils Scottish-themed 45-acre township in Bengaluru

Abhee Ventures, a leading South Indian real estate developer, has announced “Codename New Dimension,” a 45-acre Scottish-themed residential township at Gunjur on Whitefield–Sarjapur Road, Bengaluru. Strategically located between Whitefield and Sarjapur Road, Gunjur benefits from strong connectivity to the Outer Ring Road IT corridor, ITPL, EPIP, the upcoming Dommasandra Metro Station, and the proposed SWIFT City and Peripheral Ring Road.The township, designed in collaboration with London-based UHA London and India’s RSP Architects, offers low-density living with 85 per cent open spaces..

Infrastructure Urban

05 Jun 2026

Hindalco unveils Eternia experience centre for high-performance aluminium windows

Hindalco Industries, the metals flagship of the Aditya Birla Group, has launched its Eternia experience centre in Lajpat Nagar, New Delhi, highlighting its high-performance aluminium window systems designed for India’s evolving construction sector. The company is also expanding its manufacturing footprint in North India with a new Bilaspur facility.Eternia has emerged as one of the fastest-growing brands in system aluminium windows, registering nearly 65 per cent CAGR over the last three years. With a nationwide network of 170+ channel partners across 100+ cities, the brand serves homeowners..