Payyanur (Kerala): The scrutiny on ticketless travel aboard trains is set to intensify. The Railways has issued fresh revenue targets to ticket examiners (TTEs) and squads to identify ticketless passengers and levy penalties. The directive aims to bolster revenue through strict penalty collections.

Fines will be calculated based on the distance travelled. Season ticket holders boarding sleeper coaches (excluding de-reserved coaches) will also be classified under ticketless travel and fined accordingly.

Currently, a ticket examiner managing sleeper coaches in the Palakkad Division has a monthly penalty collection target of ₹10,000. Under the new rules, each TTE must amass ₹25,000 per month. The overall annual target has been projected at approximately ₹27 crore. Penalty rates have also seen a marginal increase.

Even minor infractions, such as moving into a higher-class coach without a valid upgrade, will now attract fines. Railway unions have already warned that this aggressive drive could spark confrontations between staff and passengers on board.

 

Minimum ticketless penalties (Mail/Express trains)

  • General coach (up to 50 km): ₹320
  • Sitting reserved (50 km): ₹335
  • Sleeper coach (200 km): ₹530
  • AC chair car (150 km): ₹745
  • Third AC (300 km): ₹1,480
  • Second AC (800 km): ₹2,070

No increase in number of de-reserved coaches

Despite a massive surge in unreserved and season ticket passengers, the Railways is not increasing the number of de-reserved coaches. Instead of operating more trains to accommodate the passenger volume, the number of existing coaches has been slashed.

With sleeper coaches being converted into AC units, several trains—including the Malabar Express—have lost their regular reserved coaches. Day commuters boarding sleeper coaches will be caught by the squad and fined. The refusal to issue daytime sleeper tickets and the complete lack of MEMU trains along the 307-km Shoranur–Mangaluru section have dealt a severe blow to daily passengers.