During the first six months of the financial year 2026-27, up to September 2026, Central Railway’s dedicated ticket checking teams apprehended 20.47 lakh passengers travelling without tickets, with improper or invalid travel authority. The teams collected Rs.159.34 crore in penalties, compared with 20.05 lakh cases and Rs.116.46 crore in penalties during the corresponding period last year. The figures indicate an increase of more than 37% in earnings.
The Mumbai division accounted for the highest penalty collection, generating Rs.66.92 crore from 10.11 lakh cases between April and September 2026. Bhusaval division recorded Rs.38.90 crore from 3.77 lakh cases, while Pune division collected Rs.18.68 crore from 2.13 lakh cases.
Nagpur division recovered Rs.17.93 crore from 2.36 lakh cases, while Solapur division collected Rs.7.27 crore from 1.10 lakh cases. Central Railway headquarters recorded penalty collections of Rs.9.63 crore from 0.99 lakh cases during the same period.
The enforcement drive continued through September 2026, when Central Railway’s ticket checking teams apprehended 2.44 lakh passengers travelling without tickets or valid tickets. The teams realised Rs.18.53 crore in penalties during the month.
Travelling without a valid ticket is an offence under the Railways Act and attracts penal action. Ticketless travel also affects railway revenue, which is utilised to improve passenger amenities, safety and infrastructure.
Following the revision of the minimum penalty for ticketless travel from Rs.250 to Rs.500, Central Railway has continued intensive ticket checking operations across its network. The railway administration has adopted a multi-pronged strategy involving station checks, ambush checks, fortress checks, intensive checks and mega ticket checking drives.
These operations cover Mail/Express trains, Passenger trains, Special trains and Suburban trains across the Mumbai and Pune divisions. The sustained enforcement effort aims to curb unauthorised travel while protecting railway revenue and supporting improvements in passenger facilities, safety and infrastructure.
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