Mumbai: Central Railway collects over Rs 200 crore in fines from ticketless travellers from April 2021 to March 16 2022

Central Railway in its endeavour to provide better services to bonafide rail users and also to curb ticketless travel, regularly conducts intensive ticket checking drives against ticketless and irregular travellers in Suburban, Mail, Express, Passenger and special trains.

Further to arrest revenue leakage, the Central Railway vigilance team along with ticket checking staff also conducts such drives against ticketless travel.

During the period from April 2021 to 16th March 2022 (1.4.2021 to 16.3.2022) a total of 33.30 lakh cases were detected and a revenue of Rs 200.85 crore was realised which is the highest in terms of cases and revenue among all Zonal Railways. These are the highest ever earnings of Central Railway despite COVID-19 restrictions.

Mumbai Division has detected 12.93 lakh cases of ticketless and irregular travel realizing Rs 66.84 crores which is the highest amongst all divisions of Central Railway.

Bhusaval Division detected 8.15 lakh cases of irregular travel realizing Rs.58.75 crore, while Nagpur Division realized Rs.33.32 crore from 5.03 lakh cases of irregular travel. Meanwhile, Solapur Division detected 3.36 lakh cases of irregular travel realizing Rs 19.42 crore and Pune Division detected 2.05 lakh cases of irregular travel and realized Rs.10.05 crore.

The ticket checking squads of headquarters also detected 1.80 lakh cases of ticketless and irregular travel and recovered Rs. 12.47 crore.

In addition to the above during this period in all 56,443 persons were detected for violating COVID appropriate behaviour and not wearing masks and a penalty of Rs 88.78 lakh was recovered from them.

"Central Railway appeals to passengers to travel with proper and valid railway tickets in order to avoid inconvenience and travel with dignity and follow COVID-19 appropriate behaviour for their and others' safety," a press release said.