Travelling without a ticket or an improper ticket is a punishable offence. In fact, Indian Railways have strict rules against it. In the previous ten financial years (FY), Indian Railways (IR) collected fine of more than ₹11,456 crores from passengers travelling without a ticket or with a defective ticket and carrying UBL (unbooked luggage).
Indian Railways Have Collected A Fine Of ₹11,456 Crore From Passengers!
The amount of fines collected for the mentioned offences by the Indian Railways increased by more than three times between FY14 and FY23, going from ₹688.11 crore in FY14 to ₹2,260.05 crore in the most recent fiscal year. The Railways discovered 26.03 crore ticketless passengers within the same period, and 3.5 crore UBL or improperly ticketed passengers during FY20.
All three actions are considered fraudulent offences under the Railways Act and, depending on how serious the offence was, are punishable by penalties and/or possible imprisonment, according to railway regulations. The Train Ticket Inspector in this instance is permitted by Section 54 of The Railways Act, 1989, to check the tickets of passengers before they board the train.
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An individual who travels fraudulently or without the appropriate ticket faces a maximum sentence of six months in jail and a fine of ₹1,000, or both. On the other hand, violating Section 138 of the Railway Act and travelling without the appropriate pass or ticket may result in financial penalties. This includes the cost of the ticket for the distance travelled and a minimum punishment of ₹250.
Central Railways Has The Largest Amount
In the last 10 financial years, the Central Railway, which has its headquarters in Mumbai, has paid the Railways the largest total fine for the aforementioned infractions, totalling ₹1,506.09 crore, while the East Coast Railways has paid the least, at ₹266.48 crore.
The Northern Railway, which has its headquarters in the national capital, stood best among the 16 railway zones, according to the RTI response, with 3.37 crore people being caught travelling without a ticket, with an incorrect ticket, or without a valid ticket between FY 2013 and FY 2023.
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The Northeast Frontier Railway, with headquarters in Guwahati, had the lowest figure, which was 59.05 lakh.
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