CR FINES 90,000 COMMUTERS FOR TRAVELLING WITHOUT TICKETS

MUMBAI: More than 90,000 commuters were fined by Central Railway (CR) for travelling without ticket and proper documentation, and ₹3.8 crore was recovered as fine from the commuters in July.

There has been an increase in the number of ticketless commuters from June. In June, 62,000 passengers were fined, and ₹2.6 crore was recovered from them.

“We urge only the passengers who are permitted by the state government to travel by local trains. We have noticed an increase in passengers that have been travelling with fake identity cards, transfer of tickets and altered tickets. We appeal to the passengers to travel with proper and valid railway tickets to avoid inconvenience,” said a senior CR official.

Local train services are currently operational for employees working in essential care and people who are travelling for medical purposes.

“Passengers as identified by state government are only permitted to travel in suburban local trains currently. A decision on allowing passengers and checking for vaccinated passengers will be done alongside the Maharashtra government,” said a senior railway official who did not wish to be named.

Urban planner Sulakshana Mahajan, said, “Doctors and government agencies will be able to analyse the risks and the benefits and then decide on allowing general public in local trains.” Mahajan added, “Government agencies will also have to work to control the crowd inside train compartments.”

Between April and July this year, 304,000 passengers travelling without tickets were fined by the Central Railway and ₹15.9 crore was recovered as a fine.

Local train services were suspended for the general public for the second time on April 15.

₹3.8 CRORE WAS RECOVERED IN FINES IN JULY