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Railways recover Rs 140.8 crore from offenders

By Sohail Khan 21 September 2026, 5:10 pm

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Business News›Industry›Transportation›Railways›18 lakh passengers caught, Rs 140.8 crore recovered: Railways intensifies checks as penalty earnings jump 40% in just 5 months

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18 lakh passengers caught, Rs 140.8 crore recovered: Railways intensifies checks as penalty earnings jump 40% in just 5 months
Synopsis

Central Railway recovered Rs 140.8 crore in penalties from 18 lakh ticketless and unauthorised travel cases between April and August, marking a 40% rise from the same period last year. Mumbai division recorded the highest collection at Rs 58.5 crore, while August alone saw Rs 19.5 crore recovered. Officials attributed the increase to intensified ticket checks and the revised minimum penalty, which rose from Rs 250 to Rs 500.

18 lakh caught, Rs 140.8 crore recovered: Central Railway steps up ticketless travel crackdown

Central Railway has stepped up ticket inspections across its network, recovering Rs 140.8 crore in penalties from passengers travelling without valid tickets between April and August, according to a report by .

The railway zone detected around 18 lakh cases of unauthorised travel during the five-month period. The penalty collection was about 40% higher than the corresponding period last year, reflecting intensified checking drives as well as the increase in the minimum fine for ticketless travel.

Mumbai division accounts for highest penalty collection

The Mumbai division contributed the largest share of the total recovery, collecting Rs 58.5 crore from around 8.8 lakh cases.

August penalty collection rises 41%

Central Railway collected Rs 19.5 crore in penalties in August alone, marking a 41% increase compared with August 2025, according to the report.

Interestingly, the rise in revenue came even as the number of detected cases declined marginally. Around 2.5 lakh cases were recorded in August this year, compared with 2.7 lakh during the same month last year.

Officials attributed the higher collections to more intensive checking and the revised penalty structure. The minimum penalty for travelling without a valid ticket was increased from Rs 250 to Rs 500.

Central Railway intensifies ticket-checking drives

To tackle fare evasion, Central Railway has been conducting several types of inspections across its network. These include surprise checks at stations and on trains, as well as larger coordinated enforcement drives.

“This includes fortress checks, ambush inspections, station sweeps, and mega drives conducted across mail, express, passenger, special, and suburban trains in the Mumbai and Pune divisions,” said Central Railway chief spokesperson Swapnil Nila.

The drives have been carried out across different categories of services, with particular attention to trains and stations in the Mumbai and Pune divisions.

Railway highlights impact of ticketless travel

Railway authorities said travelling without a valid ticket is an offence under the Railways Act. They also stressed that fare revenue plays a role in supporting passenger amenities, safety measures and infrastructure development.

The latest enforcement figures come amid Central Railway's continued efforts to curb fare evasion and improve compliance with ticketing rules across its network.

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