New Delhi In the year 2019-20, the Indian Railways have imposed a fine from over one crore people traveling without tickets. This has given the Railways a revenue of Rs 561.73 crore. In this way, it has increased by six percent compared to the year 2018-19. An RTI application has revealed this information. Railways have earned Rs 1,938 crore from 2016 to 2020 by charging fines from people traveling without tickets.
This information has been received from RTI filed by Madhya Pradesh based RTI activist Chandra Shekhar Gaur. Railways received a fine of Rs 405.30 crore from un-ticketed passengers in the year 2016-17. In the year 2017-18, Railways received a fine of Rs 441.62 crore from un-ticketed passengers and Rs 530.06 crore in 2018-19. Apart from this, in the year 2019-20, 1.10 crore passengers were found traveling without valid tickets. Indian Railways has set norms to prevent ticketless travel.
A passenger traveling without a ticket has to pay a minimum of Rs 250 along with the ticket price. If the passenger refuses to pay, the passenger is handed over to the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and is treated under Section 137 of the Railway Act. The person is then presented before the magistrate. The magistrate can impose a fine of Rs 1,000 on him. If that person still does not pay the fine, he can be jailed for up to six months.
Significantly, in 2018, a Parliament Railway Convention Committee raised the issue of revenue loss due to un-ticketed travel after evaluating the Railway's 2016-17 financial report.
Significantly, in 2018, a Parliament Railway Convention Committee raised the issue of revenue loss due to un-ticketed travel after evaluating the Railway's 2016-17 financial report.
4 Comments