06 October,2023 07:02 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Pic/Western Railway
The Western Railway on Friday said that it collected Rs 81.18 crore as fine during ticket checking drives between April to September this year.
In an official statement, the Western Railway said that in order to ensure hassle-free, comfortable travel and better services to all bonafide passengers over Western Railway, intensive ticket checking drives are being carried out continuously over Mumbai suburban local services, Mail/Express as well as passenger trains and holiday special trains so as to curb the menace of ticketless/irregular passengers.
It said, the highly motivated ticket checking team under the supervision of senior commercial officers of Western Railway organised several ticket checking drives during the months from April to September 2023, thereby recovering an amount to the tune of Rs. 81.18 Crore, which also includes Rs. 20.74 Cr from Mumbai Suburban section.
According to a press release issued by Sumit Thakur - Chief Public Relations Officer of Western Railway, during the month of September 2023, an amount of Rs.9.50 crore was recovered through detection of 1.64 lakh ticketless/irregular passengers, including unbooked luggage cases.
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In the month of September, the Western Railway realized fines amounting to Rs.2.34 crore through detection of over 53,000 cases over Mumbai Suburban section. To prevent unauthorized entry in AC local trains, frequent surprise ticket checking drives are carried out. As a result of these drives more than 38000 unauthorized passengers have been penalized during the period April to September 2023 and Rs. 126.13 lakhs collected in fines, which is about 140% higher than the same period of last year.
"The Western Railway appeals to the general public to travel with proper and valid tickets," the Western Railway said.
Meanwhile, the Western Railway on Friday said that it will operate jumbo block between Churchgate and Mumbai Central stations on October 8, Sunday.
In a statement, the Western Railway said that to carry out maintenance work of tracks, signaling and overhead equipment, a jumbo block of five hours will be taken on up and down fast lines between Churchgate and Mumbai Central (local) station from 10:35 hrs to 15:35 hrs on Sunday, 8th October, 2023.
According to a press release issued by Public Relations Officer, Sumit Thakur of Western Railway, during the block period, all fast line trains will be operated on slow lines between Churchgate and Mumbai Central (local).
Due to this, some up and down suburban trains will remain cancelled. Detailed information to this effect is available with concerned station masters. Passengers are requested to take note of the above arrangements.
