Central Railway ticket inspector becomes Mumbai Division’s first ‘crorepati’ in ticket-checking earnings

Railway officials said his performance has helped curb ticketless travel and prevented significant revenue loss to the national transporter. The achievement has also set a benchmark within the ticket-checking fraternity.

Meanwhile, Central Railway has urged passengers to travel only with valid tickets purchased through authorised vendors, station booking counters, Automatic Ticket Vending Machines (ATVMs), or the official website of Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC).

Passengers can also book tickets using the Rail One mobile application.

Reiterating its zero-tolerance policy towards ticketless travel, the railway administration said it remains committed to ensuring a safe, comfortable and dignified journey for passengers.

Central Railway cracks down on ticketless travel

Central Railway has intensified its drive against ticketless and unauthorised travel, recovering more than Rs 227 crore in penalties from nearly 38 lakh offenders during the financial year 2025–26 (April 2025 to February 2026), according to an official statement issued on Wednesday.

Railway officials said the crackdown is part of ongoing efforts to ensure a safe, smooth and comfortable travel experience for passengers while discouraging violations across its network.

During the period from April 2025 to February 2026, Central Railway’s ticket checking teams apprehended 37.99 lakh passengers travelling without valid tickets or with improper travel authority.

This represents an increase of nearly 10 per cent compared to the 34.60 lakh passengers caught during the corresponding period of the previous financial year.

In terms of penalties, the railway recovered a record Rs 227.03 crore, compared to Rs 185.62 crore during the same period last year, marking a rise of more than 22 per cent.

February 2026 also records sharp rise in penalties

Central Railway said the enforcement drives also saw significant results in February 2026, when 3.65 lakh passengers were caught travelling without valid tickets.

The figure is higher than the 3.32 lakh offenders detected in February 2025, indicating an increase of nearly 10 per cent.

During the month, ticket checking teams collected Rs 23.27 crore in penalties, up from Rs 18 crore in February last year, reflecting a rise of nearly 30 per cent.