With the festive season fast approaching, Indian Railways is taking proactive steps to tackle the issue of ticketless travel. To address this concern, a special drive is set to be launched across all railway zones. The Railway Board has issued a directive to all the zonal railways, outlining the details of this drive, scheduled to commence on October 20 and conclude on November 27.
The initiative, spearheaded by Executive Director of Passenger Marketing, Neeraj Sharma, places a special emphasis on checking accommodation allocated under emergency quotas and reservations obtained against specific categories such as senior citizens and cancer patients. Furthermore, railway zones have received orders to assign senior-level officers responsible for monitoring the drive at both the divisional and zonal levels.
Talking to News18, a senior railway officer pressed on the significance of this ticket-checking drive, describing it as a ‘major issue.’ He said, “To accommodate the expected surge in travelers during this festive season, railway zones have already announced additional trains and the opening of extra ticket counters. However, the issue of ticketless travel remains a concern that the Indian Railways is determined to address. Those attempting to travel without valid tickets can expect no leniency during this drive.”
In recent years, instances of ticketless travel or traveling with unauthorized tickets have witnessed a troubling increase. According to a Right to Information (RTI) response quoted by the news agency PTI, Indian Railways apprehended a staggering 3.6 crore passengers traveling on incorrect or without any tickets during the fiscal year 2022-23. This marks a notable surge of nearly one crore from the previous year’s figures.
To put this into perspective, in 2019-2020, 1.10 crore individuals were apprehended for traveling without valid tickets or with incorrect ones. In the subsequent year, 2021-22, this number rose to 2.7 crore, and in the fiscal year 2022-23, it reached a concerning 3.6 crore. The anomaly of the COVID-19 pandemic year, 2020-21, recorded a relatively lower figure of 32.56 lakh individuals found traveling without proper tickets.
In discussing his experiences, a railway officer from the Commercial Department of a division remarks, “The issue is not limited to individuals coming from villages or those with limited awareness of the consequences. Even well-educated and regular travelers are frequently caught traveling without a valid ticket. In most instances, this appears to be a deliberate attempt to circumvent the system, while in some cases, travelers cite last-minute travel plans, emergency situations, or lateness as their reasons.”
“We have our regulations and we put fines on them as per these regulations,” he added.
Considering the ongoing festival season, Indian Railways has introduced a series of special train services, particularly for Diwali and Chhath. Among these, the Northern Railway zone has taken the lead, announcing 34 special trains so far. These special services are designed to provide 377 trips, ensuring convenient and efficient travel for passengers. The special trains will boast a total of 5980 coaches, comprising 1326 general class coaches, 3328 sleeper coaches, and 2513 AC coaches.
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