Up to SR10 million in fine for violating Railway Law

Okaz/Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH — A maximum fine of SR10 million will be imposed on those who violate the provisions of the Railway Law and its Executive Regulations. The Committee for Reviewing Violations of the Railways Law and its Executive Regulations will determine the penalty, including the value of the fine, on the basis of the type of violation and its severity in each case separately.

Details of the violations are spelled out in the rules of the functioning of the committee. In the event of repetition of the violation, a maximum fine of SR20 million will be slapped on the violator.

The regulations stipulate that the violation of the rules regulating the use of railways in stations and facilities is a punishable offence. The violations include the use of railways or part thereof for purposes other than those for which they are designated; the parking of vehicles and equipment or leaving animals within the railway premises not designed for the purpose; crossing railways or their bridges or letting animals cross or traverse them from places other than those designated for the purpose; and crossing the railways’ protective fences or trespassing it.

Violations also include constructing any temporary or permanent structures or carrying out any work that may obstruct the view of the railway track or its signals; disrupting or affecting – in any way – the ability to see the railway tracks or the movement of trains, locomotives and coaches on them; installing any obstacles or equipment that may affect the performance of the railways or their assets, or that may lead to obstructing performance of their functions.

The regulations stipulate that the violations include seizing the railway track or part thereof with the intent to own, benefit or use in any form; carrying out any work that may cause landslides, collapses or fragmentation of the soil or threaten any of the railways’ structures or infrastructure, in addition to cutting, damaging, using or benefiting from the cables and extensions of the railways, whether those on the surface of the ground or inside it.

Among the violations are sabotaging, disrupting, damaging or stealing the infrastructure or any of the railway facilities or equipment; endangering the safety of the railway or any of its facilities or causing this as a result of negligence or failure; causing – as a result of negligence or failure – a collision of a train, locomotive or carriage; causing it to derail, violating safety requirements and conditions; failure to notify the licensee about an accident, incident or security breach, or negligence.