The Western Railway has recovered ₹21.89 crore in fines from ticketless and irregular passengers during April 2025, making it the second highest monthly recovery in the past five years, according to railway authorities.
The crackdown covered both suburban local trains and long-distance services across Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Under the supervision of senior commercial officers, ticket-checking teams conducted continuous drives throughout the month. The initiative focused on unauthorised travel in Mumbai’s suburban trains, express and mail services, as well as special trains running during holidays.
Out of the total fines collected, ₹6 crore came from the Mumbai suburban section alone, involving around one lakh passengers. In total, the railway booked 3.10 lakh passengers for ticketless or irregular travel, including cases of unbooked luggage. A press release by Vineet Abhishek, Chief Public Relations Officer, Western Railway, stated that surprise checks were also carried out in AC local trains to curb unauthorised access. These drives penalised over 6,000 unauthorised passengers in AC compartments, contributing ₹20.24 lakh to the total revenue in fines. Officials say the aggressive enforcement is part of a broader strategy to ensure smoother travel and better services across the network, particularly in high-traffic areas such as Churchgate, Virar, Boisar, Palghar and Dahanu in Maharashtra, and key junctions in Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.
The April 2025 figure comes close to the highest-ever monthly collection in recent years, reinforcing the railways’ emphasis on compliance and accountability.
