Pune: The Pune railway division has intensified its crackdown on ticketless travel, penalizing nearly three lakh passengers over the past ten months. As part of a special ticket inspection drive, railway authorities collected fines amounting to ₹15.86 crore.

The ticket inspection drive targeted key railway stations, including Pune, Satara, Karad, Miraj, and Kolhapur. Special focus was given to trains where ticketless travel is most common.

As a result:

• 2,34,806 passengers were caught traveling without a valid ticket.

• 54,089 passengers were found illegally traveling in reserved sleeper coaches, leading to a fine collection of ₹1 crore.

• 4,412 passengers were fined ₹2.49 lakh for carrying excess luggage without booking.

The operation was carried out under the supervision of Divisional Railway Manager Rajesh Kumar Verma and Senior Divisional Commercial Manager Dr. Milind Hirwe, with the assistance of ticket inspectors and the Railway Protection Force.

Northbound Trains Witness Highest Cases

According to railway officials, trains heading toward northern states have the highest number of ticketless passengers. In response, the administration has strengthened ticket checking on trains such as Gorakhpur Express, Danapur Express, Indore Express, and Jhelum Express. Despite these efforts, the number of violators in these trains continues to rise.

The railway administration has reiterated that passengers must travel with valid tickets. Regular inspection drives will continue, and those caught without a ticket will face heavy fines under the Railway Act. In cases where the fine is not paid, legal action, including imprisonment, may be taken.

A senior railway official stated: "Passengers should always carry valid tickets while traveling by train. Those found traveling without a ticket will be penalized, and in case of non-payment, imprisonment is also a possibility."