24 April,2026 08:42 AM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. Aklekar
Unauthorised travellers seen inside AC train coaches
Premium AC train commuters have been left in the lurch as the special helpline number for complaints has been abruptly shut down, with commuters saying they have nowhere to complain now. Railway officials said they had to shut the helpline due to heavy spam and misuse.
According to commuters, the AC trains need close monitoring as they are now filled with hawkers, beggars and passengers who do not possess valid AC train tickets. Last year, the Central Railway commuters had resorted to what they called a âDigital Dharna', spamming CR inboxes with complaint mails and photos of the daily menace.
On May 25, 2024, CR launched a specialised AC Class Task Force to monitor and respond to issues related to premium local train services. A dedicated WhatsApp complaint number - 7208819987 - was also introduced, enabling commuters to report ticketless travellers, unattended belongings, excessive cooling, and a lack of ticket-checking.
In one year after the launch, 11,134 complaints were received on the helpline, and all were addressed within just two days. While the daily complaints dropped from an average of 79 in June 2024 to 29 in June 2025, the maximum complaints per day also reduced from 228 to 103 due to prompt action.
Officials say the helpline number was heavily misused, so much so that it lost its purpose. "There were too many messages not connected to the AC local. The volume of general and spam messages made it difficult to assess the actual genuine complaints in real-time. We tried to convert it into a business number and made all efforts to retain the helpline, but it was not possible, and eventually, we were forced to shut it down," a spokesperson said.
Central Railway officials said railway staff are now present in various sections of the train, and checks are conducted at random, but regularly. However, the best alternatives to raise issues remain the RailMadad app and other such avenues.
Mukesh Makhija
âCommuters of Central Railway's premium AC train service need a place to complain. I have put up a complaint on social media tagging the (rail) minister that the WhatsApp number for ticket checking hasn't been operational for months - an issue that has been raised several times. However, there is no positive response. The AC trains are filled with unwanted elements, and there needs to be some action.'
Aditya Pradhan
âThe WhatsApp helpline number introduced by CR for ticket checking in AC locals, although once effective, has now become largely unresponsive. Complaints often see no action, especially after 9.30 pm, when ticketless passengers and unauthorised vendors are common. Immediate steps are needed to restore enforcement and passenger safety.'
Shruti Mangaonkar
âI had an AC pass for one month, and my ticket wasn't checked even once during that period. How fair is this? What is the point of buying such expensive tickets, only to find beggars and hawkers inside the compartment train?'
Ranvijay Joshi
âWhat is the point of paying premium ticket rates if the commute is going to be like regular trains. It is unfair. There are limited AC services. Why can't they have ticket checkers in all trains?'
