Ticketless Travels: A Rising Challenge for Indian Railways

In 2023-24, Indian Railways caught 2.16 crore passengers traveling without tickets, collecting Rs 562.40 crore as excess charges. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw reported this in response to parliamentary questions. The Railways regularly conducts ticket checking campaigns as part of its ongoing efforts to curb this practice.

In a significant revelation, the Indian Railways reported that they caught 2.16 crore passengers traveling without tickets during the fiscal year 2023-24. This enforcement effort led to the collection of Rs 562.40 crore in excess charges, excluding the fare, providing a substantial financial recuperation for the railways.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw shared this information in a written reply to the Lok Sabha, underlining that the data is not maintained on a state-wise or station-specific basis. Despite this limitation, it reflects the ongoing challenge Indian Railways faces with ticketless travel across the country.

The minister further elaborated that special ticket checking campaigns are a regular feature conducted by zonal railways. These campaigns are organized based on local conditions or directives from the Ministry of Railways, as part of a continuous effort to address ticketless travel.

(With inputs from agencies.)