Southern Railway tells passengers that using mobile phones in speaker mode—such as making loud calls, playing music, or showing videos with speakers—creates a nuisance and can lead to removal from railway premises. The directive is part of an awareness and enforcement push that also covers similar behaviour at stations within Southern Railway’s jurisdiction.

Outlets report that penalties under the amended Railways Act can start with a fine if a passenger disregards instructions from authorised railway staff. If the conduct continues after being told to stop, the punishment can escalate to imprisonment of up to six months, along with a fine that some reports place as high as Rs 5,000. Another component is heightened communication for compliance: divisions are instructed to issue public announcements via PA systems and post notices in multiple languages. Several reports also cite concerns about the growing use of low-cost mobile internet as a factor in increased loud audio use.

While coverage varies on how the penalties are framed—such as whether Rs 1,000 or the higher Rs 5,000 figures are highlighted all sources describe the same core message: speakerphone and loud audio that disturb others can result in fines, removal, and, for repeat refusal, possible jail time.