During Diwali, many passengers travelled without tickets to reach their destination on time to celebrate the festival with their families. Meanwhile, the Railway Department of Pune Division took strict action against such passengers travelling without tickets and collected a record ₹1.14 crore in fines from 10,603 passengers caught without valid tickets in just 10 days between October 17 and October 27.
According to railway officials, the crackdown coincided with the Diwali festive season, which typically witnesses a surge in passenger traffic.
A dedicated team has been deployed, which conducts regular surprise checks across major railway stations and trains, including Pune, Lonavala, Daund, Satara, and Kolhapur, to ensure compliance with ticketing norms.
During the same period last year, only 8,557 passengers were fined, generating ₹46.30 lakh in revenue. This year, the figures mark a sharp rise of nearly 24 per cent in the number of offenders and a staggering 147 per cent increase in fine collection, reflecting the railway’s intensified efforts to curb ticketless travel.
Hemant Behera, Divisional Commercial Manager of Pune Division, speaking to The Free Press Journal, said, “The dedicated ticket-checking staff have been deployed in the division and they are doing regular inspection. This is not only about the festive period. Although the aim is not just to penalise but also to create awareness among passengers about the importance of purchasing valid tickets before boarding.”
Such drives will continue in the coming weeks to discourage habitual offenders and ensure fair revenue collection for the Indian Railways. The Pune Division has appealed to passengers to buy tickets through official counters or digital platforms to avoid penalties.
