Are more Mumbaikars skipping tickets? Central Railway fines touch Rs 251.91 crore

Ticketless Travel Surges in Mumbai Locals: The Mumbai suburban railway network, often described as the city’s lifeline, is one of India's busiest railway networks. It carries millions of passengers daily over a route of approximately 400 kilometres. But alongside the heavy rush, cases of passengers travelling without tickets have also been going up, sources told Zee Business. The fresh figures from Central Railway show a clear jump in both the number of offenders and the penalties in the financial year 2025-26.

Number of ticketless passengers sees steady rise as over 41.9 lakh caught during 2025–26

According to data, as many as 41.90 lakh passengers were caught travelling without tickets during the year. This marks a noticeable jump from 38.05 lakh offenders recorded in the previous financial year—an increase of nearly 10 per cent.

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Penalty collections surge 24 per cent as fines from ticketless travel cross Rs 251 crore

The crackdown has also translated into higher revenue through penalties. Central Railway collected Rs 251.91 crore in fines from ticketless and irregular travel, registering a 24 per cent rise compared to Rs 203.70 crore recovered last year.

Despite regular enforcement drives, violations continue to rise across the suburban network

Officials say the upward trend points to a growing disregard for ticketing rules despite regular checks and enforcement drives across the suburban network, one of the busiest in the country.

AC local trains also see spike in violations with 1.23 lakh passengers caught without valid tickets

The issue is not limited to regular compartments. Even, it is visible in premium services as well. In AC (air-conditioned) local trains, 1.23 lakh passengers were found travelling without tickets over the past year — about 25 per cent more than the previous year.

Fines from AC local services alone reach Rs 3.89 crore amid increasing violations

Fines collected by the authorities from AC locals alone stood at Rs 3.89 crore.

Overcrowding during peak hours and monitoring challenges raise concerns despite frequent checks

Despite regular ticket-checking drives, the steady increase indicates that enforcement alone may not be enough, especially during peak hours when trains are overcrowded and monitoring becomes difficult.

Mumbai Local Train Ticketless Travel Statistics (FY 2025–26 vs FY 2024–25)

On a separate note, Indian Railways is now entering a new phase of speed, safety, and digital connectivity, backed by the highest-ever capital outlay in its history. The Union Budget 2026-27 has allocated a record Rs 2,78,000 crore for the sector, underlining the "strategic importance accorded to rail development," said ANI, citing an official release.

A big part of this vision is high-speed rail. The government has announced seven high-speed rail corridors as "growth connectors" to link major cities and regions. "These corridors are intended to integrate major cities and regions, facilitate efficient movement of people, and support economic interaction across states," the release said. Proposed routes include Mumbai-Pune, Delhi-Varanasi, and Hyderabad-Bengaluru, among others. Together, the planned corridors span nearly 4,000 kilometres.