AHMEDABAD: Western Railway has collected a total of Rs 170.35 crore as a fine from those traveling without tickets between April 2022 and March 2023, according to the official statement.
The Mumbai suburban section alone contributed approximately Rs 43 crore to this amount, indicating the high incidence of ticketless travel in this region.
According to the press release by Western Railways, Public Relations Officer said, a total of 25.63 lakh cases of unticketed and unbooked luggage were detected during this period, which is a significant increase from the previous year’s 18.88 lakh cases.
WR recovered Rs.170.35 cr as fines frm Ticketless/Irregular Travel & Unbooked luggage thru intensive tkt chkg drives conducted betwn Apr 22-Mar 23, including Rs.43.07 cr frm Mumbai sub section
— Western Railway (@WesternRly) April 6, 2023
WR appeals public to travel by trains with proper & valid tkts@RailMinIndia @drmbct pic.twitter.com/xUK5lUOuOS
The increase in the number of cases of ticketless travel between April 2022 and March 2023 is about 35 percent higher than the previous year. Fine of Rs. 170.35 crore was recovered from these passengers which is an increase of 50% over corresponding period of last year, which was Rs. 113.57 crore. In the month of March 2023, WR realized fines amounting to Rs.3.08 crore from Mumbai Suburban section. To prevent unauthorized entry in AC local trains, frequent surprise ticket checking drives are carried out. As a result of these drives more than 48691 unauthorized passengers have been penalized since April 2022.
The railway authorities have been taking various steps to discourage ticketless travel, including the deployment of additional staff for ticket checking, the use of CCTV cameras to monitor passenger movement, and the introduction of special drives to catch offenders. These measures seem to be bearing fruit, as the amount of fine collected has increased significantly in the past year.
Overall, the significant increase in the amount of fine collected from those traveling without tickets highlights the importance of following the rules and regulations when traveling on trains. It is crucial for passengers to purchase tickets and carry them while traveling to avoid any inconvenience or legal action.