VIJAYAWADA: In order to keep a check on erring passengers who travel without a ticket in trains, Vijayawada railway division commercial manager and his team of officials and Railway Protection Force (RPF) carried out surprise raids on 21 trains in the Tenali and Ongole sections on Friday. A total of 787 cases were registered and Rs 3.6 lakh was collected as penalty.
Assistant Commercial Manager (Vijayawada division) K Kamalakara Babu and his team started the raid from Chirala railway station and covered Appikatla, Tenali and Ongole stations.
During the inspection, officials found several male passengers travelling in the ladies’ compartment and several unauthorized passengers travelling in the Divyangjan coaches. Of the total, 583 cases were related to irregular travel and a penalty of Rs 3.05 lakh was raised.
The officials said that it was not new that railway squads have fined male and unauthorized passengers travelling in the compartment earmarked for ladies and physically handicapped.
“We inspected 21 trains including two special trains and five-passenger trains, with a squad of 35 Travelling Ticket Examiners (TTEs) and eight RPF personnel,” said a railway official.
The officials created awareness among the public on travelling with dignity. An official said, “Travelling in trains without a ticket is a crime, punishable under Railway Act. As a moral citizen too, one shouldn’t travel sans ticket”.