Railways to launch a special ticket-checking drive from October 1.
New Delhi. Indian Railways is going to run a special ticket checking campaign from October 1 to October 31, 2026 in view of the increasing number of passengers before the festive season. This campaign will be run by Central Railway. The validity of the ticket, its authenticity and the documents related to the right to travel will be thoroughly scrutinized throughout the month. The focus of Railways will be especially on such passengers who are traveling through concessional tickets, reservation quota or railway pass.
According to Railways, the number of passengers in trains increases rapidly during festivals. During this period, complaints like traveling without ticket, use of wrong ticket, traveling on ticket in someone else’s name, taking unfair concessions and misuse of passes come to the fore. Keeping these conditions in mind, special surveillance will be increased throughout the month of October.
During the campaign, the ticket checking staff will not only check whether the passenger has a ticket or not, but will also check the validity of the ticket and its related details. If a passenger has a concessional ticket, it will also be seen whether he is actually entitled to that concession or not. If needed, identity card and other documents related to eligibility can also be asked.
Special vigil will also be kept on those traveling through railway passes. The passes and convenience tickets issued to Railway employees, their families or other eligible persons should be used in accordance with the prescribed rules. During the campaign, it will be checked whether the person in whose name the pass or permission has been issued is undertaking the journey or not.
Apart from this, tickets booked under fixed reservation quota will also be specially checked. Different types of facilities and reservations are available in Railways under senior citizens, disabled, duty pass, railway employees, emergency quota and other categories. During the investigation, it will be seen whether these facilities are being used as per the rules or not.
According to railway officials, the purpose of the campaign is not to harass passengers, but to keep the ticketing system transparent. This will ensure that genuine and eligible passengers get their rights and prevent any kind of fraud or attempt to travel by wrong means.
The demand for tickets suddenly increases during the festive season. A large number of people travel towards their homes during Dussehra, Diwali and other festivals. In such a situation, there is huge crowd in long distance trains and the waiting list on many routes also becomes long. At the same time the possibility of incidents of misuse of tickets and wrongful journey also increases.
Central Railways may increase the deployment of ticket checking staff at its different divisions and major railway stations. Apart from mobile checking inside trains, passengers’ tickets can also be checked at platforms, entry and exit points. Flying squads and special investigation teams can also be deployed as per need.
Railways is appealing to the passengers to carry correct and valid tickets during the journey. Passengers whose tickets have been issued under any special concession or quota should also carry the relevant identity card or proof with them. This will avoid unnecessary trouble during investigation.
If a passenger is found to have a wrong ticket or is caught using a concessional ticket or pass without proper authorisation, action can be taken under Railway rules. In such cases, fines may be levied and in case of serious violations, further legal action is also possible.
During the campaign, there will be special emphasis on checking the genuineness of tickets. Railways often come across cases related to fake tickets, wrong identity or use of documents issued in unauthorized manner. To detect such cases, the investigation staff will match the details of the ticket and the passenger.
Passengers traveling through online tickets will also be required to carry valid identity card. If the ticket has been booked under a particular category or concession, proof of the same may also be sought at the time of enquiry. Railways has advised passengers to fill name, age and other important details correctly while booking tickets.
This special campaign of Railways will run for the entire month of October. The action starting from October 1 will continue till October 31. During this period, both ticket checking and monitoring will be increased keeping in mind the increased passenger pressure due to festivals.
Checking may be more strict at major stations and busy railway sections under Central Railway. Due to the large number of passengers travelling, there is a possibility of increased activity of ticket checking teams in long distance trains, mail-express and other services.
The most important thing for passengers is to check the complete details of their ticket before travelling. Please verify that the name, train number, date of journey, coach, seat and reservation class are correct. Those traveling through concession or pass should additionally carry relevant documents with them.
This special campaign, starting just before the festive season, is being run with the aim of maintaining discipline in the ticketing system and protecting the interests of genuine passengers. During this action, which will continue till October 31, the Railways will keep an eye on ticketless passengers as well as misuse of concessional tickets, reservation quota and railway passes.