Central Railway has intensified its enforcement efforts across its suburban and long-distance network, reporting a significant rise in fines collected for unauthorised and ticketless travel in the first seven months of the current financial year. Between April and October, officials recorded 23.7 lakh cases of passengers travelling without valid tickets, generating ₹141.27 crore in penalties. The increase reflects both strengthened monitoring mechanisms and the persistent scale of fare evasion across one of India’s busiest rail corridors.
According to railway officials, the surge represents an 8 per cent year-on-year rise in the number of violations and a 14 per cent jump in fines collected. This financial year’s enforcement campaign has been driven by targeted operations across stations and trains, including surprise inspections, fortified checkpoints, and coordinated ticket-checking drives across suburban, express, and long-distance services. Officials said these measures are designed not only to deter fare evasion but also to improve passenger discipline and enhance operational sustainability. Division-wise data indicates that the Bhusaval and Mumbai divisions registered the highest recoveries, accounting for over half of the total penalties during the period. The Mumbai division alone recorded 9.63 lakh cases, underscoring the scale of daily movement across the suburban rail network, which carries more than 30 lakh passengers every day. Officials noted that consistent enforcement plays a key role in maintaining the viability of public transport systems, especially as cities seek to scale up affordable, low-carbon mobility options.
October emerged as a particularly active month, with 3.71 lakh offenders penalised—an increase of nearly 24 per cent over the same period last year. Penalty collections nearly doubled during the month, reflecting both heightened monitoring and greater public reporting of violations. A dedicated air-conditioned local train inspection squad has also been deployed to curb fare irregularities on premium suburban services, supported by a 24×7 helpline that allows commuters to report violations in real time. Urban mobility experts said that fare integrity is a critical component of sustainable public transport systems, particularly in cities such as Mumbai where rail remains the backbone of daily commuting. Strengthening compliance, they added, can help create more reliable and equitable transport operations, ensuring that resources are directed towards improved services, safety, and accessibility.
Railway officials reiterated that the ongoing drive aims to encourage responsible and dignified travel behaviour. The system, they said, depends heavily on fairness and trust, especially in dense urban areas where public transport is central to reducing congestion and emissions. Central Railway has urged passengers to carry valid tickets at all times, reaffirming its zero-tolerance approach to fare evasion as part of a broader effort to maintain a financially and socially sustainable suburban system.
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