Between April and November, more than 21.70 lakh cases of ticketless travel and irregularities, including unbooked luggage, were detected, resulting in the recovery of fines worth around Rs 140 crore, which is a 50 per cent increase over the same period last year
In November alone, WR penalised over 2.8 lakh passengers and earned fines worth Rs 18.25 crore. Representational Pic/File
The Western Railway (WR) has intensified its efforts to curb ticketless and irregular travel, with its ticket-checking staff recovering nearly Rs 140 crore from defaulters across its network during the current financial year.
According to a press release by WR’s Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Vineet Abhishek, rigorous checks were conducted on Mumbai suburban locals, long-distance Mail/Express trains, passenger services, and holiday special trains under the supervision of senior commercial officers.
Between April and November, more than 21.70 lakh cases of ticketless travel and irregularities, including unbooked luggage, were detected, resulting in the recovery of fines worth around Rs 140 crore, which is a 50 per cent increase over the same period last year. In November alone, over 2.80 lakh cases were recorded, in which Rs 18.25-crore fines were collected, marking a 40 per cent rise from 2024.
WR has also focused on air-conditioned (AC) suburban local trains, where surprise checks were conducted to prevent unauthorised travel. Around 75,000 penalty cases were booked in AC locals between April and November, lead to a fine collection of more than Rs 2.40 crore, which is an 85 per cent increase over the previous year.
Highlighting the contribution of individual staff, the CPRO lauded Ashutosh Kumar Singh, deputy chief ticket inspector in the flying squad at Mumbai’s Churchgate Station. Over the past 11 months, he detected more than 9,200 cases, collecting nearly Rs 1.08 crore – averaging Rs 40,000 per day. On 18 October, he recorded a single-day collection of Rs 2.24 lakh by detecting over 150 cases.
“Ticket checking is a continuous responsibility that demands tact, skill, and courteousness. Western Railway is proud of its dedicated ticket checking staff, whose efforts not only protect revenue but also enhance travel discipline,” the CPRO said.
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