Title - Vadodara railway division conducts surprise checking drives

VADODARA: The Vadodara railway division of Western Railway is conducting a series of surprise ticket checking drives across the division.

On Friday, the division conducted a drive at Vadodara railway station wherein 246 cases of ticket less travel were detected and penalty to the tune of Rs 61,785 was collected. Along with this two penalty cases affecting cleanliness under section 198-C were also registered fetching earning of Rs 100 through the drive involving 21 ticket checking staff.

During the drive, one person named Ravi Shrivastava, 26, was apprehended and handed over to the GRP staff. Investigations revealed that Shrivastava, who is not a railway employee, was posing as a ticket checker.

Similarly, drives were conducted by the division in Bharuch-Surat section on June 27 and Vadodara-Bharuch-Surat-Vadodara section on June 28. During the drive on June 27, the division had detected 132 cases and collected penalty to the tune of Rs 40,720. Along with this nine penalty cases affecting cleanliness were registered fetching earning of Rs 650.

On June 28, 39 cases of ticketless travel were detected and penalty to the tune of Rs 46,010 was collected along with nine penalty cases affecting cleanliness. This drive conducted by 16 ticket checking staff had fetched earning of Rs 550 under section 198-C.

"Similar ticket checking drives have been planned in ensuing days. Passengers are requested to travel with proper ticket so that they are not penalized," senior divisional commercial manager Pradeep Banerjee said.