Mysuru railway division cracks the whip on unauthorised travelling in reserved coaches

The Mysuru Division of South Western Railways (SWR) has cracked the whip against unauthorised travel in reserved coaches by taking up a slew of measures, including random checking of tickets and imposition of fines.

The Mysuru Division of South Western Railways (SWR) has cracked the whip against unauthorised travel in reserved coaches by taking up a slew of measures, including random checking of tickets and imposition of fines.

“Certain trains identified as prone to overcrowding, now have dedicated Railway Protection Force (RPF) escorts assisting Travelling Ticket Examiners (TTEs) in ensuring only passengers with valid tickets occupy reserved coaches within the Mysuru division,” said a statement.

“Fines were imposed on approximately 624 passengers with invalid tickets travelling in reserved coaches within a couple of days during the current month and an amount of ₹3,48,770 was collected as penalty from the offenders,” the statement said, adding that the division had deployed joint teams of RPF and ticket-checking staff to conduct random inspections at stations and on trains.

The establishment of Rail Madad war-room and regular drives taken up in the division under the leadership of Divisional Railway Manager Shilpi Agarwal focus on “addressing passenger grievances in real-time and preventing over-crowding of reserved coaches by passengers holding invalid tickets to travel by reserved coaches”, thereby enhancing the passengers’ travel experiences.

“The Division’s Rail Madad is accessible to passengers via the toll-free number 139 and through the Rail Madad apps available on both Android and iOS platforms. Developed by the Centre for Rail Information Systems, this centralised database facilitates real-time monitoring and resolution of passenger complaints,” the statement said.

Ms. Agarwal emphasised that Mysuru Division of SWR remains committed to delivering safe, efficient, and comfortable travel experiences to passengers while the challenge of unauthorised passengers remains dynamic, requiring continuous monitoring and intervention.

From April to June 2024, the division received 5,132 complaints related to issues such as lost luggage, malfunctioning electrical equipment, unauthorised passengers in reserved coaches, cleanliness in coaches and toilets, and deficiencies in passenger amenities, luggage bookin, and grievance related to catering services. “The Mysuru division has ensured these complaints are promptly addressed, with action taken reports sent to passengers without delay,” the statement said.