Onam rush in Keralam: Railways intensify checks to curb ticketless travel

Intensified inspections by railway authorities are underway on trains during the Onam festival season to combat passengers who travel without valid tickets or illegally occupy reserved coaches. Railway officials are issuing stern directives to train ticket examiners (TTEs) to impose penalties on such offenders or enlist the assistance of the Railway Protection Force to pursue legal action.

This measure follows a series of incidents where railway staff faced alleged rough treatment from passengers caught without proper tickets, resulting in injuries for some TTEs.

A train ticket examiner on duty on the Palakkad-Mangalore route expressed concern over the increasing number of fraudulent passengers boarding reserved coaches. These passengers sometimes board general coaches, claiming ignorance of the rules. Some have even been observed moving between coaches to avoid inspections. Another TTE from Kozhikode highlighted the use of screenshots of valid general tickets obtained by users of the IRCTC mobile app.

Such screenshots are inadmissible as proof of ticket validity, as tickets booked through the app are securely linked to the individual user's device and identity.

Railway officials are contemplating the implementation of special scrutiny drives, akin to those deployed by certain railway divisions, to deter unauthorized travel and mitigate revenue losses. The collection of fines for unlicensed travelers has been increased, with the minimum penalty for ticketless travel doubling from ₹250 to ₹500, effective from June 2026.

The new fine aligns with the Jan Vishwas Act, 2026, and applies to offenses such as traveling without a ticket, using a counterfeit, invalid, or improperly issued ticket.