The Central Railway Vigilance team has taken strict action against offenders involved in touting, misuse of ticketing systems, and travel on fake IDs.
Between January and May eight preventive checks were conducted across various locations, including Ambarnath, Kolhapur, Pune, and Malkapur. Several offenders were caught with unauthorised e-tickets, fake IDs, and in cases of system misuse, by railway staff.
Key actions include:
A major bust in Malkapur on May 22, where two individuals were found with 182 JCR tickets worth over Rs 10 lakh, linked to a reservation clerk and IPF.
In Ambarnath, unauthorised ticketing software was seized, along with multiple IRCTC IDs.
Kolhapur and Pune saw arrests of touts with forged or transferred tickets.
In one case, a reservation clerk was charge-sheeted for issuing unprinted tickets for personal gain.
Fake ID travel cases were penalised, and misuse of privilege passes by non-railway personnel led to fines of over Rs 10,000.
The vigilance team reiterated its commitment to maintaining transparency and integrity in the railway system, warning that such surprise checks and enforcement actions will continue in the interest of genuine passengers.
Central Railway`s Mumbai Division earns Rs 50.36 crore through non-fare initiatives
The Central Railway (CR) has generated Rs 65.47 crore in revenue so far this financial year through non-fare initiatives, including advertising in trains and at stations, and other innovative services. The revenue marks a growth of over 2 per cent compared to last year.
Mumbai Division accounted for Rs 50.36 crore of the total Rs 65.47 crore, contributing nearly three-fourths of CR’s non-fare revenue.
Key contributors to Mumbai Division’s revenue
Advertising on app-based initiatives – Rs 8.03 crore (159 per cent increase)
Display advertising at stations – Rs 3.48 crore (86 per cent increase)
Electric vehicle (EV) charging points, sleeping pods, and other services – Rs 2.80 crore (14 per cent increase)
Interior and exterior train advertising – Rs 8.38 crore (19 per cent increase)
Promotional initiatives via platforms such as Woloo, Digi Locker – Rs 1.26 crore (7 per cent increase)
Hoardings beyond stations – Rs 26.44 crore (3 per cent increase)
During the current financial year, initiatives such as vending of consumables in electric multiple unit (EMU) trains, relaxation massage chairs at major stations (Lokmanya Tilak Terminus, Kalyan, Panvel, and Lonavala), battery swapping stations for EVs, Digi Locker facilities, promotion of banking and insurance services via kiosks, and development and management of air-conditioned (AC) dormitories and retiring rooms at Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT) on an upgrade-operate-transfer basis, helped the CR generate a good revenue.
Advertising through paintings and wallpapers on railway boundary walls and light-emitting diode (LED) screen ads on Vande Bharat Express trains were also undertaken. Lifestyle magazines were distributed on premium trains such as Rajdhani, Vande Bharat, and Tejas Express.
Contribution from other divisions
Pune – Rs 7.62 crore
Bhusaval – Rs 3.61 crore Nagpur – Rs 2.74 crore
Solapur – Rs 1.14 crore.
These divisions generated non-fare revenue through electric wheelchairs, parcel scanners, mini refreshment units, integrated digital display systems, Digi Locker facilities, battery-operated cars, rail coach restaurants, and bike-packing contracts across various stations.
CR said the consistent growth in non-fare revenue reflects the dedication and innovation of its teams. These efforts not only enhance passenger experience but also support Indian Railways’ broader objectives of modernisation and digitalisation, creating a more vibrant and passenger-friendly rail ecosystem, CR add.
