Commuters traveling ticketless on the suburban railway network may face a sharp rise in fines in the future, as the Western Railway has proposed a significant hike from the current Rs 250 to Rs 1,000. However, a senior Western Railway official clarified that this is not a new proposal, but rather a very old one.
According to sources, considering the challenges of curbing ticketless travel in the suburban railway section, such proposals are frequently sent by divisions to the headquarters in both zonal railways.”This is not a new thing,” said an official.
“Around six to seven months ago, a similar proposal was once again sent to the headquarters by the Mumbai division.” “This proposal, first submitted to the Railway Board in 2018, is currently under consideration. However, any change in the fine would require an amendment to the Indian Railway Act, 1989, making it a complex process” said an official.
The existing fine of Rs 250 applies to both first-class and second-class commuters traveling without a valid ticket or season pass. This amount has remained unchanged since 2002, when it was raised from Rs 50.
According to the proposal, if approved, the new fine structure would be enforced across the entire suburban network in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). Many commuters currently weigh the risk of being caught without a ticket, as the fine is often lower than the cost of a monthly season ticket.
Ticket checking in the suburban network is random, lacking the extensive monitoring systems seen in metro networks, which leads some passengers to take the risk of traveling without tickets. However, the final decision rests with the Railway Board, and zonal railways may have to wait for the amendments to the Indian Railway Act before any change in penalty is enforced.
