'7.5 lakh people travelled ticketless, with unbooked luggage'

Over seven lakh people in Delhi Division of railways were caught travelling ticketless or with unbooked luggage during the first half of the current fiscal, leading to a recovery of more than Rs 15 crore, Rajya Sabha was informed today.

Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha, in a written reply in the Upper House, said, "During the period April 2015 to September 2015, Delhi Division of Northern Railway detected 7.2 lakh cases of  ticketless/irregular travellers and unbooked luggage, and realised Rs 15.53 crore railway dues as

fare-plus-penalty from the cases." 

However, Sinha said that the quantum of losses incurred by the public sector transporter over passengers travelling without tickets has not been identified.

To prevent ticketless travel, Sinha said that the railways has taken various steps, including conducting regular nd surprise checks, setting up intensive check posts at important stations, issuing instructions for effective manning of all functional gates at stations and launching publicity

campaigns.

To prevent travelling without tickets due to non-availability, the railways have taken various measures, including provision of automatic ticket vending machines, engaging Jan Sadharan Ticket Booking Sewaks outside station premises and provision of unreserved tickets through mobile phones.