The Western Railway has been successful in collecting a significant amount of Rs 57 crore in fines from ticketless travelers over the past three months. Vineet Abhishek, the Chief Public Relations Officer of Western Railway, credited the diligent ticket-checking team for this achievement. He mentioned that the team, under the guidance of senior commercial officers, conducted various ticket-checking drives between April and July 2024, resulting in the recovery of the hefty sum.
Abhishek emphasized the importance of these ticket-checking drives in providing a hassle-free and comfortable travel experience for legitimate passengers. These efforts are aimed at addressing the issue of ticketless and irregular travelers across Mumbai’s suburban local services, Mail/Express trains, passenger trains, and holiday specials.
In July 2024 alone, a staggering Rs 5.20 crore was collected from identifying 1.22 lakh ticketless and irregular passengers, including cases involving unbooked luggage. Additionally, Rs 2.75 crore in fines were collected from 84,000 cases in the Mumbai Suburban section during the same month. To combat unauthorized entry into AC local trains, surprise ticket-checking drives are regularly conducted. As a result, around 17,400 unauthorized passengers were penalized between April and July 2024, with fines totaling approximately Rs 60 lakh.
The efforts of the Western Railway in cracking down on ticketless travelers are commendable and serve as a deterrent to those attempting to evade paying for their tickets. The substantial amount collected in fines highlights the importance of enforcing ticketing regulations to ensure fair and efficient travel for all passengers. By conducting regular ticket-checking drives and imposing penalties on violators, the Western Railway is taking proactive steps to maintain the integrity of its services and uphold the rights of legitimate passengers.