Baby Chakraborty, Sealdah, December 15, 2024 : The Indian Railways has intensified its efforts to combat the issue of ticketless travel with a robust special ticket-checking operation. Despite sustained efforts to discourage passengers from boarding trains without tickets, violations have persisted, particularly on the Sealdah-Bangaon branch. In response, the Railways launched a high-impact campaign led by the Principal Chief Commercial Manager (PCCM) of the Sealdah Division.
The operation was conducted recently between Dum Dum Cantonment and Barasat stations on the Sealdah-Bangaon branch, covering both up and down local train lines. Running from 9:30 a.m. to 12 noon, the drive aimed to identify and penalize passengers without valid tickets. During this special operation, ticket checkers apprehended a total of 878 individuals, of whom 728 were fined for travelling without a ticket.
The financial outcome of this effort was substantial, with the Railways earning ₹2,17,780 in fines from the operation. Moreover, the special campaign had an immediate impact on ticket sales, with reports indicating an increase of ₹3 to ₹4 lakh across several stations along the Sealdah-Bangaon route, as passengers opted to purchase tickets following heightened scrutiny.
Pawan Kumar, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager (DCM) of the Sealdah Division, emphasized that this special operation will continue across key stations, including Bangaon, Hasnabad, and Sealdah South, over the coming days. According to him, this initiative serves not just as a revenue-generating measure but also as a means to create awareness among passengers about the consequences of ticketless travel.
The Railways’ proactive campaign underscores its commitment to maintaining the integrity of its operations while enhancing passenger safety and compliance. With sustained crackdowns and increased ticket availability, officials are optimistic about improving the situation in the Sealdah-Bangaon corridor and other key routes across the network.