18 December,2025 05:36 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
The Central Railway said that it has intensified ticket-checking drive. Pic/Central Railway
Central Railway on Thursday said that it has stepped up action against unauthorised and ticketless travel, recovering penalties worth Rs 164.91 crore from 27.51 lakh passengers during the financial year 2025-26 (April to November), an official statement said.
The railway said that the intensified ticket-checking drive is part of its commitment to ensure safe, smooth and comfortable travel for genuine passengers.
During FY 2025-26, Central Railway's ticket-checking teams caught 27.51 lakh passengers travelling without valid tickets or proper travel authority. This marks an increase of nearly 10 per cent compared to 25.08 lakh cases recorded during the same period in FY 2024-25, the statement said.
The penalty amount collected also witnessed a sharp rise. Central Railway recovered Rs 164.91 crore this year, up from Rs 138.44 crore last year -- an increase of over 19 per cent.
In November 2025 alone, ticket-checking staff apprehended 3.74 lakh passengers, compared to 2.98 lakh in November 2024 -- an increase of more than 25 per cent.
During the month, penalties worth Rs 23.63 crore were collected, a significant rise from Rs 14.08 crore in November 2024, reflecting an increase of almost 68 per cent.
According to the Central Railway, for FY 2025-26 (April to November), the penalty amounts collected across divisions are as follows:
- Bhusaval Division: Rs 59.25 crore from 6.94 lakh cases
- Mumbai Division: Rs 48.79 crore from 11.34 lakh cases
- Pune Division: Rs 18.40 crore from 3.05 lakh cases
- Nagpur Division: Rs 18.13 crore from 2.92 lakh cases
- Solapur Division: Rs 7.50 crore from 1.60 lakh cases
- Headquarters: Rs 12.82 crore from 1.66 lakh cases
Central Railway follows a multi-pronged approach to curb ticketless travel. This includes station checks, ambush checks, fortress checks, intensive checks and mega ticket-checking drives.
These checks are carried out on Mail and Express trains, passenger trains, special trains, and suburban services in the Mumbai and Pune divisions.
Central Railway has urged passengers to travel only with valid tickets purchased from authorised sources such as booking counters, ATVMs, the IRCTC website, or the UTS mobile app.
Passengers have also been warned against using fraudulent or fake tickets, stating that such offences are punishable under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Act, 2023, with fines and imprisonment of up to seven years, or both.
