16-hour ticket-checking drive detects 725 ticketless travellers on trains in Keralam

A ticket-checking drive conducted by the Southern Railway in the Thiruvananthapuram division detected 725 cases of ticketless travel in just 16 hours. The enforcement squad imposed penalties totalling ₹5.66 lakh on illegal travellers.According to the Southern Railway, the 16-hour special ticket-checking drive was organised across various sections simultaneously from 4 p.m. on August 30 to 8 a.m. on August 31 to prevent unauthorised travel in both reserved and unreserved classes.The Ernakulam squad detected 426 cases on the Kottayam–Ernakulam, Alappuzha–Ernakulam and Ernakulam–Guruvayur sections and imposed fines totalling ₹3,70,225.The Thiruvananthapuram squad detected 148 cases on the Thiruvananthapuram–Kayamkulam section and imposed fines amounting to ₹1,00,460.The Kollam squad detected 106 cases, with fines amounting to ₹65,245, while the Nagercoil squad detected 45 cases and imposed fines totalling ₹30,280.The special ticket-checking drive was organised to ensure that reserved passengers and those who travel with valid tickets get the safe, comfortable and hassle-free journey they are entitled to, by preventing unauthorised travel.The railways advised the passengers to travel with valid tickets and adhere to railway rules. Such intensive checking drives will continue across the Thiruvananthapuram division to ensure a fair, safe, and comfortable journey for all passengers, said the railways. Published - September 01, 2026 06:54 pm IST