Travelling without a ticket? Central Railway announces stricter penalties under revised Railways Act

Passengers travelling without a valid pass or ticket will now be required to pay the applicable fare along with an excess charge, subject to a minimum of Rs 500. Representational pic

Central Railway on Tuesday announced revised provisions under the Railways Act, 1989, aimed at strengthening enforcement against ticketless travel, unauthorised entry into reserved coaches, and other travel-related violations.

According to an official release, the revised provisions seek to ensure stronger deterrence and faster resolution of cases involving irregular travel, forceful occupation of reserved seats, unauthorised entry into coaches reserved for women, and misuse of reserved accommodations, including those earmarked for Divyangjan passengers.

Under the revised rules, passengers travelling without a valid pass or ticket under Section 137 will now be required to pay the applicable fare along with an excess charge, subject to a minimum of Rs 500.

Those refusing to pay will be produced before a court, which may impose imprisonment of up to six months, a fine of up to Rs 500, or both.

The penalty for unauthorised entry into reserved compartments under Section 155 has been increased from up to Rs 500 to up to Rs 2,000, while passengers who prevent bona fide travellers from entering their reserved compartments can now face a penalty of up to Rs 1,000. Those refusing to pay may be produced before a court, which can impose a fine of up to Rs 3,000 in addition to ordering their removal from the compartment.

Central Railway has also enhanced penalties under Section 162, which deals with unauthorised entry into coaches or spaces reserved for women. The penalty has been increased from up to Rs 500 to up to Rs 2,500, along with mandatory vacation of the seat or berth and forfeiture of the ticket or pass. If the offender fails to pay, the court may impose a fine of up to Rs 5,000. The railway clarified that no proceedings will be initiated against transgender persons under this section.

Revised rules tighten penalties for ticket transfer and unauthorised travel

The revised provisions also cover Section 142, relating to the transfer of railway tickets. In addition to forfeiture of the ticket, offenders will now have to pay the applicable fare along with an excess charge equal to the fare, subject to a minimum payment of Rs 500. Those who fail to pay may face imprisonment of up to six months, a fine of up to Rs 2,000, or both, following court proceedings.

Similarly, under Section 138, passengers travelling beyond the authorised distance without a proper ticket will now have to pay the fare difference along with an excess charge, with a minimum payable amount of Rs 500. Those refusing to pay will be produced before a court, which may impose imprisonment ranging from 10 days to one month if the dues remain unpaid.

Appealing to passengers, Central Railway urged commuters to travel only with valid tickets, respect reserved accommodations, avoid trespassing, hawking and smoking on railway premises, and cooperate with railway staff to ensure safe, smooth and comfortable journeys for all.

The revised provisions came into effect as part of amendments to strengthen compliance under the Railways Act, 1989, Central Railway said.