Pune railway ticket checking recovered Rs 18.68 crore in fines from 2.13 lakh passengers who travelled without valid or with irregular tickets between April and September 2026, according to figures reported by Central Railway. The Pune division ranked third among Central Railway’s divisions by fine collection during the six-month period.
Central Railway recorded action against 20.47 lakh passengers across its network during the same period and recovered Rs 159.34 crore. This was about 37% higher than the Rs 116.46 crore collected during the corresponding period last year, while the number of cases increased by only around 2%, from 20.05 lakh to 20.47 lakh.
The higher revenue has been linked to the increase in the minimum penalty for travelling without a ticket, from Rs 250 to Rs 500. The change has raised the average amount collected per case even though the increase in the number of passengers booked was comparatively limited.
Mumbai division recorded the highest recovery at Rs 66.92 crore, followed by Bhusawal at Rs 38.90 crore. Pune was next with Rs 18.68 crore. Nagpur recovered Rs 17.93 crore, while Solapur recorded Rs 7.27 crore during the period.
Pune ranked fourth by the number of cases, with 2.13 lakh passengers booked. Nagpur recorded the highest number of cases among the divisions listed, at 2.36 lakh. Based on the reported recovery and case figures, Pune’s average fine per passenger was approximately Rs 877, compared with about Rs 760 in Nagpur, Rs 662 in Mumbai and Rs 778 across Central Railway.
The Pune division recorded action against an average of about 1,164 passengers each day and collected roughly Rs 10.2 lakh daily during the six-month period. Across Central Railway, the daily average was about 11,184 passengers and more than Rs 87 lakh in fines.
Railway authorities have been carrying out checks at stations and on trains through surprise inspections, fortress checks, intensive checking drives and large-scale ticket inspection campaigns. The enforcement covers mail and express trains, passenger services and special trains, as well as suburban services in the Mumbai and Pune divisions.
Central Railway has described travelling without a valid ticket as an offence under railway law and said the practice causes revenue loss. The railway has stated that passenger revenue supports facilities, safety and infrastructure, and has appealed to passengers to obtain valid tickets before travelling. The reported figures cover enforcement carried out between April and September 2026.
