WEB DESK: Pakistan Railways has collected Rs79.2 million from passengers caught travelling without tickets in a comprehensive crackdown over the past seven months.
This operation, involving railway police and train staff, targeted approximately 61,352 ticketless passengers, with the funds now deposited into the department’s official bank account, sources from the Ministry of Railways informed APP.
This crackdown is part of an ongoing effort by Pakistan Railways to combat fare evasion. Such operations have been a regular occurrence, though this recent campaign is notable for its scale.
Ticketless travel is illegal, and individuals caught without a ticket are required to pay the full fare for their journey along with an additional penalty. Those who refuse to pay are referred to railway police for further action.
In response to queries, sources revealed that the Railway Police have apprehended 4,384 individuals over the past 18 months for various rule violations, resulting in 3,803 cases being filed across eight railway divisions.
The breakdown of cases is as follows: 688 in Peshawar Division, 584 in Rawalpindi, 1,103 in Lahore, 369 in Mughalpura workshops, 378 in Multan, 238 in Sukkur, 365 in Karachi, and 78 in Quetta Division.
Railways Police Help Desks have been established at major railway stations nationwide to assist passengers. Despite facing limited resources, the performance of the railway police has been deemed satisfactory over the past year.
The Ministry indicated that efforts will continue to enhance the efficiency of railway policing in the coming year.
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