233 Penalised at Diva Station as Railways Seek to Double Ticket Checking Staff
Suburban railway authorities penalised 233 passengers and collected Rs 1,04,830 in fines during a fortress ticket-checking drive at Diva station on Monday, August 10. The action at Diva station comes amidst an intensified crackdown on ticketless travel and a combined proposal by Central Railway and Western Railway to nearly double their ticket-checking manpower across the suburban network.
During the special drive at Diva, officials caught commuters travelling without valid tickets. Railway authorities urged passengers to carry valid travel credentials and appealed to commuters to purchase tickets via authorised digital platforms, such as the RailOne app, to avoid queues at ticket counters.
The enforcement action highlighted growing concerns over ticketless travel alongside the misuse of technology. Railway officials flagged a rise in forged tickets, AI-generated or manipulated ticket screenshots, and fraudulent mobile applications that have made ticket verification increasingly difficult for frontline checking staff.
To address enforcement challenges and manage heavy daily commuter volume, Central Railway and Western Railway submitted a proposal to the Railway Board seeking a substantial increase in ticket-checking personnel. Central Railway currently employs around 1,400 ticket-checking staff for 35–38 lakh daily commuters. Based on the Railway Board benchmark of one checker per 1,000 passengers, Central Railway has proposed increasing its checking strength to approximately 2,800 personnel.
Western Railway currently operates with nearly 1,100 ticket checkers catering to 28–30 lakh commuters each day. It has proposed expanding its staff to between 2,300 and 2,400 personnel. Combined, the two suburban rail networks carry more than 65 lakh passengers every day.
Officials stated that limited manpower currently makes it difficult to maintain regular checks across stations, suburban trains, AC locals, first-class coaches, and reserved compartments while simultaneously identifying digitally altered tickets.
If the Railway Board approves the proposal, additional ticket-checking squads will be deployed during peak hours, festivals, and special enforcement drives. Dedicated teams will focus on AC locals and first-class coaches, aiming to reduce workload on existing staff, strengthen revenue protection, and curb fake ticket applications across Mumbai.
