Over 400 police officers traveling without tickets fined by railways in Uttar Pradesh

The Prayagraj railway division has fined more than 400 police officials for traveling without tickets in various postal and express trains over the past six weeks, officials said. Special constables conducting drives to nab those traveling without tickets found that many police personnel were traveling in air-conditioned coaches and pantry cars, causing inconvenience to other passengers.

North Central Railway’s public relations director said Indian Railways routinely undertakes such initiatives to identify unauthorized travellers. “Travelling without a ticket not only disrupts the experience of legitimate passengers but also results in financial losses for the railways. Therefore, we have put in place stringent measures to tackle unauthorized travel and have seen considerable success in these efforts,” he said. Tripathi, quoted by PTI.

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Indian Railway Ticket Control Staff Organization zonal secretary Santosh Kumar said some police officers take advantage of their official status to gain access to air-conditioned carriages and occupy empty bunks. “They often refuse to vacate seats for authorized passengers and sometimes threaten both passengers and railway staff,” he added.

The special law enforcement initiative has garnered positive feedback from passengers, who appreciate the railroad’s efforts and have cooperated with officials. The drive is led by Amit Sudarshan, deputy director of traffic, along with deputy director of traffic Dinesh Kapil and other staff.

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A railway official noted that many officers have threatened ticket inspectors and traffic officers with retaliation if they are fined. “Despite warnings and circulars issued by senior officials of the Uttar Pradesh police department urging officers not to travel without tickets, compliance appears minimal,” the official said.

Kumar noted that while these officers initially attempted to intimidate business personnel, they changed their approach when officers began documenting their behavior and insisted on imposing fines. “Some even tried to run away with other coaches to avoid sanctions,” Kumar said.

Railway officials confirmed that these enforcement efforts would continue during the festive season to ensure that authorized passengers do not face difficulties. “Even after the festive period, we will carry out surprise checks to discourage such practices,” another official said.