Mumbai, June 1: In a major crackdown on ticketless travel, Central Railway penalised nearly 2 lakh passengers across its Mumbai suburban network and other train services in May 2026, collecting fines amounting to Rs 13.94 crore.
The figures mark a sharp rise in enforcement action, with both the number of offenders caught and the penalty amount witnessing a significant increase compared to the same period last year.
According to Central Railway officials, around 2 lakh passengers were found travelling without valid tickets during intensive ticket-checking drives conducted throughout May.
The railway administration collected Rs 13.94 crore in penalties, a jump of nearly 140 per cent over May 2025, when 1.27 lakh passengers were penalised and fines worth Rs 5.81 crore were recovered.
Special drives target ticketless and irregular travel
The action comes amid a sustained campaign by Central Railway to curb ticketless and irregular travel. In a recent special drive targeting misuse of first-class coaches on Mumbai local trains, ticket-checking staff caught 159 passengers travelling without valid first-class tickets. Penalties totalling Rs 50,575 were imposed during the operation.
The latest figures indicate a steep rise in ticketless travel cases. In April 2026 alone, the Mumbai Division of Central Railway reported 1.34 lakh cases of ticketless travel.
Railway officials said regular enforcement drives are being carried out across suburban services, Mail and Express trains, passenger trains, and special holiday services to ensure smoother travel for fare-paying commuters.
“The objective is to discourage ticketless travel and provide a hassle-free and comfortable journey to genuine passengers,” a railway official said.
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Revenue protection remains key focus
The crackdown also reflects a broader focus on revenue protection across Mumbai’s railway network. Last month, Western Railway reported its highest-ever monthly ticket-checking revenue of Rs 27.37 crore in April 2026, surpassing its previous record of Rs 25.98 crore set in May 2022.
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