GUWAHATI, June 23 - Maligaon-headquartered Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) registered its highest ever monthly collection of penalty from offenders during ticket checking drives in the month of May.
In a sustained drive, the zonal railway collected Rs 6.74 crore as fare and penalty from offenders, including commuters travelling without tickets.
�This is the highest ever earning in a single month in the history of this railway zone from ticket checking,� said Pranav Jyoti Sharma, Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of NFR.
The amount collected is also an increase of over 33 per cent year-on-year as compared to the figure of Rs 5.04 crore recovered during the corresponding month in 2018.
In May this year, NFR detected 96,599 cases of passengers travelling without tickets as against 74,150 cases during the corresponding month of last year, which is an annual increase of over 30 per cent.
�Ticket checking is always the endeavour of this railway zone not only to sustain growth but also to ensure that the passengers are travelling with proper ticket and in the proper class. This also helps the genuine passenger to have hassle-free travel experience. Maximum stress has been given to discourage ticketless travel by conducting regular checking at vulnerable sections. This is an area where there is always a scope of improvement and so the maximum effort has been given to ensure that the target is achieved,� said Sharma.
NFR staff have been conducting surprise ticket checking drive in Mail, Express and local passenger trains.
�As per section 137 of the Indian Railway Act of 1989, travelling without ticket, improper ticket or un-booked luggage is an offence punishable by imprisonment or fine or both. Substantial growth in earning against ticket checking activity during the month of May this year was possible due to the proper mobilisation of the ticket checking staff in vulnerable sections and with constant monitoring by the divisions and the headquarter units. To sustain future growth in this head, proper planning and yearly targets have already been fixed,� said the NFR CPRO.
