06 May,2026 06:56 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
The officials said that in April intensive ticket-checking drives were conducted at Mumbai local train stations, Mail and Express trains. Pic/WR
Western Railway on Wednesday said that it penalised over 3.6 lakh ticketless passengers and collected record Rs 27.37 crore in April 2026.
An official statement said that the Western Railway officials recorded its highest-ever monthly revenue from ticket checking during through intensive ticket-checking drives across its network.
The April figures of fines collected from the ticketless passengers surpassed the previous record of Rs 25.98 crore set in May 2022, marking an increase of over 5 per cent.
The officials said the achievement reflects sustained efforts to curb ticketless and irregular travel, it said.
The officials said that in April intensive ticket-checking drives were conducted at Mumbai local train stations, Mail and Express trains.
During April, more than 3.60 lakh passengers were found travelling without valid tickets or with irregular tickets. The drives covered Mumbai suburban services, Mail and Express trains, passenger trains and holiday specials, the official statement said.
The total penalty collected also showed a significant rise of over 25 per cent compared to April 2025, when Rs 21.89 crore was recovered. It also exceeded the set target of Rs 24.07 crore by over 13 per cent, it said.
According to Chief Public Relations Officer Vineet Abhishek, several divisions reported strong performance:
- Mumbai Central Division: Rs 13.06 crore
- Ahmedabad Division: Rs 4.22 crore
- Ratlam Division: Rs 3.41 crore
All three divisions recorded their highest collections in the past five years.
Special drives were also conducted in AC suburban trains to prevent unauthorised travel. Over 14,000 cases were detected, resulting in penalties of around Rs 44 lakh - an increase of more than 117 per cent compared to the same period last year, the statement said.
In the Mumbai suburban section alone, around 1.1 lakh cases were identified, with penalties exceeding Rs 6 crore.
Officials said the results highlight the efforts of the Commercial Department in reducing revenue loss and maintaining discipline among passengers, it said.
Western Railway has urged commuters to travel only with valid tickets to avoid penalties and ensure smooth travel for all.
