05 January,2026 06:14 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
To prevent unauthorised travel in Mumbai AC local trains, Western Railway also conducted frequent surprise checks, officials said. Representational Pic/File
Western Railway on Monday said that it has collected more than Rs 155 crore in fines through intensive ticket checking drives carried out between April and December 2025.
The drive was aimed at curbing ticketless and irregular travel and improving the overall travel experience for genuine passengers, an official statement said.
According to Western Railway, a total fine of Rs 155.46 crore was recovered during this period, which is nearly 49 per cent higher than the amount collected during the same period last year. Of this, Rs 41.26 crore was collected from the Mumbai suburban section alone.
The ticket checking drives were conducted across Mumbai suburban services, Mail and Express trains, passenger trains and holiday special trains. These operations were carried out under the supervision of senior commercial officers with the support of dedicated ticket checking staff.
A press release issued by Western Railway's Chief Public Relations Officer, Vineet Abhishek, said that in December 2025 alone, WR recovered Rs 15.54 crore by detecting 2.51 lakh ticketless and irregular passengers, including cases of unbooked luggage. This marked an increase of about 42 per cent compared to December last year.
To prevent unauthorised travel in Mumbai AC local trains, Western Railway also conducted frequent surprise checks. During the period from April to December 2025, nearly 91,000 unauthorised passengers were penalised in AC locals, resulting in the recovery of Rs 2.97 crore in fines, officials said.
The figure is around 97 per cent higher than the amount collected during the same period last year, highlighting the effectiveness of the focused enforcement drive.
Western Railway said the results reflect its commitment to stopping unauthorised travel, protecting public revenue and ensuring a comfortable and hassle-free journey for bonafide passengers.
The railway authorities have appealed to commuters to travel only with valid tickets and follow railway rules to avoid penalties.
In addition to regular AC locals, Indian Railways has begun procuring customised local trains for Mumbai.
Mid-day had earlier reported that Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, in March 2025, had approved the procurement of 238 air-conditioned Mumbai local trains for the city.
