Mumbai's suburban railway network witnessed intensified ticket-checking drives between April and June 2026, with Western Railway (WR) detecting more than 3.14 lakh cases of ticketless and irregular travel. The enforcement campaign resulted in the recovery of nearly INR 16.5 crore in penalties, up from INR 15.9 crore collected during the corresponding period last year.
The Mumbai suburban section accounted for a significant share of Western Railway's overall anti-ticketless travel initiative, which generated nearly INR 69 crore through ticket-checking drives across its network during the first quarter of the 2026-27 financial year. The amount represents an increase of over 17 per cent compared to around INR 59 crore recovered during the same period in 2025.
Western Railway officials said the inspections were carried out by dedicated ticket-checking teams under the supervision of senior commercial officers across Mumbai suburban services, along with Mail and Express, passenger and holiday special trains. The drives were aimed at curbing ticketless travel, preventing revenue leakage and ensuring a smoother travel experience for passengers holding valid tickets.
In June 2026 alone, Western Railway detected nearly 2.65 lakh cases of ticketless and irregular travel across its network, collecting approximately INR 18.5 crore in penalties. This marks a 21.3 per cent increase compared to the INR 15.24 crore recovered during the same month last year.
The railway also stepped up inspections in Mumbai's air-conditioned suburban local trains to prevent commuters with general-class tickets from travelling in AC coaches. During the April-June period, officials detected 49,550 such violations and recovered INR 1.63 crore in fines. The collection was nearly 160 per cent higher than the INR 62.76 lakh recovered during the corresponding period in 2025.
Overall, Western Railway detected more than 9.5 lakh cases of ticketless and irregular travel, including unbooked luggage, across its network during the first quarter of FY 2026-27. Railway officials said the sustained enforcement reflects the Commercial Department's continued efforts to reduce revenue leakage, discourage unauthorised travel and promote disciplined commuting.
Western Railway has appealed to passengers to travel with valid tickets to avoid penalties and help maintain a safe and orderly commuting system.