Central Railway (CR) has intensified its measures to curb unauthorised and ticketless travel across its network to provide a safe, smooth and comfortable travel experience to its valued passengers.
Through intensified and systematic ticket checking drives, Central Railway has achieved significant results during the financial year 2025-26.
Financial Year FY 2025-26
Central Railway's dedicated ticket checking teams apprehended 41.90 lakh passengers travelling without ticket, with improper or invalid travel authority during FY 2025-26 against 38.05 lakh passengers last year, which is an increase of 10%.
A record amount of INR 251.91 crores was realised as penalty during FY 2025-26 as against an amount of INR 203.70 crores realised last year, which is an increase of almost 24%.
This includes INR 213.31 crores realised as penalty from 29.27 lakh Non-Suburban cases & INR 38.86 crores realised as penalty from 12.63 lakh Suburban cases in FY 2025-26.
Division wise details for the FY-2025-26 of passengers caught travelling without ticket / valid ticket and penalty amount realised from them are as follows:
• Mumbai division Rs.80.98 crores from 17.97 lakh cases,
• Bhusaval division Rs.81.28 crores from 9.63 lakh cases,
• Pune division Rs.30.15 crores from 4.73 lakh cases
• Nagpur division Rs.28.36 crores from 4.54 lakh cases
• Solapur division Rs.11.62 crores from 2.53 lakh cases and
• Headquarters Rs.19.51 crores from 2.48 lakh cases
AC Locals:
14 services on the CSMT-Kalyan Main line & 14 services on the CSMT-Panvel Harbour line were upgraded from Non-AC to AC local service in FY 2025-26, making the total AC services on CR to 94.
During FY 2025-26, CR ticket checking teams apprehended 1.23 lakh passengers travelling without tickets / without valid tickets in AC locals against 98,681 cases last year registering an increase of 25% in no of cases.
An amount of Rs.3.89 crores were realised as penalty in FY 2025-26 against Rs.3.24 crores last year registering an increase of 20% in earnings.
CR’s 24 TTEs emerge as Crorepati Earners:
Central Railway’s 24 Ticket Checking Personnel emerged as Crorepati Earners, crossing the 1 Crore mark in individual ticket checking earnings for the FY 2025-26.
These include 10 personnel from Headquarters, 10 from Bhusaval Division, 3 from Mumbai Division & 1 from Pune Division.
These 24 Ticket Checking Personnel have contributed a total amount of 25.78 Crores towards Ticket checking earnings for FY 2025-26
Data Of March 2026:
Central Railway’s ticket checking teams have apprehended 3.91 lakh passengers travelling without ticket, with improper or invalid travel authority during March 2026 as against 3.44 lakh passengers in March 2025, indicating an increase of almost 14%.
A sum of Rs.24.88 crores have been realised as penalty from the offenders in the month of March 2026 as against Rs.18.08 crores in March 2025, indicating an increase of almost 38%.
Zero-tolerance policy:
Central Railway adopts a multi-pronged strategy to detect unauthorised travel which includes station checks, ambush checks, fortress checks, intensive checks, and mega ticket checking drives. These operations are conducted across Mail/Express trains, Passenger trains, Special trains in all divisions as well as Suburban trains in Mumbai and Pune divisions.
Central Railway appeals to passengers to please travel with valid tickets and to NOT USE fraudulent means to generate / obtain fake tickets and travel on the same.
The Offence is punishable under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Act 2023 with fine and imprisonment upto 7 years or both.
The Railway reiterates its zero-tolerance policy towards ticketless travel and remains committed to ensuring that passengers enjoy a comfortable and dignified journey.