Northern Railway’s Jammu Div collects over Rs 1.06 lakh fine from ticketless passengers

Jammu, Aug 16: In a major crackdown on ticketless travel, Northern Railway’s Jammu Division on Saturday collected fines of over Rs 1.06 lakh from passengers found without valid tickets or with irregular travel documents.The intensive ticket checking drive was conducted under the guidance of Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Vivek Kumar and led by Senior Divisional Commercial Manager (Sr. DCM) Uchit Singhal. The inspection teams thoroughly checked trains 12445, 12920, 12472, 12238, and 11077 running between Jammu–Katra and Katra–Pathankot Cantt, resulting in fines being imposed on 166 passengers.The operation involved Assistant Commercial Manager Manoj Kumar, Chief Ticket Inspector Jammu Abdul Rashid, Chief Ticket Inspector Pathankot Cantt Rakesh Kumar Mehta, and a 10-member ticket checking staff. Railway officials said the drive was aimed at ensuring passenger convenience and cracking down on revenue leakage caused by ticketless travel.Speaking to Rising Kashmir, Sr DCM, Uchit Singhal, said ticketless travel not only causes revenue loss to Indian Railways but also inconveniences genuine passengers who travel with proper tickets.”Jammu Division has been regularly conducting surprise checks to curb this menace. Similar drives will continue across all sections and trains to ensure accountability and better service for our passengers,” he said.He further added that the focus of such campaigns is not punitive alone, but to spread awareness among passengers about the importance of travelling with proper tickets.“We aim to ensure transparency and discipline. We want people to understand that ticket checking is not harassment, but an effort to make sure facilities reach those who follow the rules,” Singhal said.Officials said that with the summer season and festive rush, the division has intensified its vigilance against fare evasion. Past campaigns have also yielded significant results, with lakhs of rupees collected in fines over the past few months. Railway authorities have urged passengers to purchase tickets through authorised counters or digital platforms before boarding trains to avoid penalties.Passengers found travelling without a valid ticket are liable to pay a minimum fine of Rs 250 along with the fare for the distance travelled, as per the Railways Act. Those refusing to pay can also face legal action, including imprisonment in some cases.Railway officials said surprise checks will be extended to long-distance express trains, local passenger services, and peak-hour routes to deter habitual offenders.The Jammu Division of Northern Railway has been conducting frequent ticket checking operations as part of its broader campaign to strengthen passenger discipline and improve revenue compliance. Saturday’s drive, officials said, is a reminder that Indian Railways is tightening measures to ensure fair travel practices for all.