Ticketless Travel: Mumbai leads in cases as Central Railway collects record fines
Central Railway has intensified its crackdown on passengers traveling without valid tickets. Recent data provided by CPRO Dr. Swapnil Nila reveals a significant rise in ticketless travel cases across Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, and Solapur divisions. The railway administration is now adopting a zero-tolerance policy to curb this practice.
Which city has the highest number of ticketless travelers?
Mumbai division recorded the highest number of cases. In April 2026, 2.27 lakh people were caught traveling without tickets in Mumbai, resulting in a fine of ₹16.13 crore. This includes 1.34 lakh cases from suburban trains and 93,524 from non-suburban trains. Even AC local trains saw 12,698 such cases.
What are the fine collections across different divisions?
The financial impact of ticketless travel is substantial. For the full financial year 2025-26, Central Railway collected a total of ₹251.91 crore in fines from 41.90 lakh cases. The division-wise breakdown is as follows:
| Division | Cases (FY 2025-26) | Fine Collected (FY 2025-26) |
|---|---|---|
| Mumbai | 17.97 Lakh | ₹80.98 Crore |
| Pune | 4.73 Lakh | ₹30.15 Crore |
| Nagpur | 4.54 Lakh | ₹28.36 Crore |
| Solapur | 2.53 Lakh | ₹11.62 Crore |
What new measures is Indian Railways introducing?
To stop unauthorized travel, the railway plans to install ticket scanning machines at stations. This will ensure only valid ticket holders enter the platforms. Additionally, passengers can now pay their fines using UPI for a faster and digital process. Traveling without a ticket is a legal offense under Section 137 of the Railways Act, which can lead to a fine or imprisonment up to 6 months.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
बिना टिकट यात्रा करने पर क्या सजा या जुर्माना है?
रेलवे अधिनियम की धारा 137 के तहत न्यूनतम ₹250 और पूरा किराया या ₹1000 तक का जुर्माना लग सकता है। गंभीर मामलों में 6 महीने की जेल का प्रावधान है।
मध्य रेलवे ने अप्रैल 2026 में कितना जुर्माना वसूला?
अप्रैल 2026 में कुल 4.96 लाख मामले पकड़े गए जिनसे ₹40.85 करोड़ का जुर्माना वसूला गया।