Festive rush: Railways to reinforce ticket checks, focus on cops among top offenders
New Delhi: In a move aimed at curbing ticketless travel during the upcoming festive season, the Railway Ministry has announced a special ticket-checking drive. The drive, scheduled from October 1 to 15 and October 25 to November 10, will target unauthorised travellers, including a notable number of policemen, who have been flagged as frequent violators.
In a letter issued on September 20, the Ministry directed General Managers of 17 railway zones to take stringent action against ticketless travellers under the Railway Act of 1989. According to railway officials, the initiative aims to ensure that everyone, including law enforcement personnel, adheres to ticketing regulations during the festive rush.
Railway commercial officers, engaged in regular checks across various divisions, revealed that police personnel often flout ticketing rules. “During a recent surprise check between Ghaziabad and Kanpur, we discovered hundreds of policemen travelling in AC coaches without tickets. Some resisted paying fines, even threatening staff, but we remained firm,” said an official.
The crackdown has been welcomed by passengers, many of whom expressed relief at the enforcement of rules, even against police officers.
North Central Railway officials have confirmed that while specific data on policemen isn’t maintained, over 1.17 lakh ticketless travellers were fined more than Rs 9 crore in the last three months in the Prayagraj division alone.
Sanjay Singh, President of the Indian Railway Ticket Checking Staff Organisation (IRTCSO), emphasised the challenges in dealing with ticketless policemen, urging police departments to take action against violators. Singh added that viral videos showcasing confrontations between railway staff and police personnel highlight the seriousness of the issue.
According to a response under the RTI Act by the Indian Railway to an applicant Chandra Shekhar Gaur, in the Financial Year of 2023-24, the Railway officials caught 361.045 lakh passengers travelling either without tickets or improper tickets and collected Rs 2231.74 crore as fines.
Keeping in mind the passengers’ comfort during the festive rush, the Ministry has asked zones “to nominate senior level officers to monitor these drives at divisional as well as zonal level. “Feedback of these drives may be sent to this office by November 18,” the Ministry’s letter said.
