BHUBANESWAR: The East Coast Railway (ECoR) has apprehended over 19,388 persons for various violations and realised fines amounting to over Rs 1 crore under applicable provisions of the Railways Act, 1989. The fines were collected between June 19 to October 20.
The violations include unauthorised hawking and selling of goods, trespassing, disobedience of lawful directions, travelling on tickets booked in another person’s name without authorisation, unauthorised occupation of reserved accommodation and other prohibited activities.
ECoR officials said around 14,992 persons were apprehended for trespassing into passenger areas or misusing railway premises and refusing to leave, resulting in fines of Rs 75 lakh.
Similarly, 169 persons were apprehended for unauthorised hawking, selling articles or canvassing for custom on railway premises, with fines of Rs 3,27,500 realised. Action was also taken against 4,117 vehicle drivers and conductors for disobeying directions on use of railway premises, with fines amounting to around Rs 20.58 lakh.
Other enforcement actions included 59 cases involving unauthorised entry into compartments where no berth or seat had been reserved for passenger use, resulting in fines of Rs 81,000 and 13 cases of unlawful entry into or occupation of accommodation reserved exclusively for women, with fines of Rs 31,500.