A sum of ₹24.5 lakh penalty was realised and 3,484 cases were registered during a mega ticket-checking drive held across the length of Vijayawada division of the South Central Railway (SCR).
While 1,641 cases pertained to ticketless travel, 1,825 cases were of irregular travel, and a penalty of ₹15.41 lakh and ₹9.10 lakh respectively was realised.
As per Railway officials, this is the highest-ever penalty realised in a single day in the records of the division. As many as 135 staff checked 48 trains in a drive that went on for 12 hours.
Out of ₹24.5 lakh, ₹8.68 lakh was realised at Vijayawada Railway Station alone and 1,294 cases were also booked, a release from the officials on November 7 (Tuesday) said. Nine unauthorised vendors were booked and penalised for a sum of ₹45,000.
As part of the drive, a mega fortress check was also organised at Vijayawada Railway Station on November 6 (Monday). All the entry, exit points were manned and passengers were regulated through these gates only.
The officials said all the loose end entry/exit points identified during the drive were cordoned off to regulate the flow of passengers. Passengers were educated to refrain from trespassing and use Foot Over Bridges (FOBs) for safer transit.
Rambabu Vavilapalli, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager, Vijayawada Division, said the objective of the drive is to curb ticketless, irregular travel and unbooked luggage.
He appealed to the passengers to download the UTS mobile app for hassle-free ticket bookings.
