Is commuter vigilance during peak hours solution to combat ticketless travel?

Mumbai local trains the lifeline of the city are a sight to behold However during peak hours the trains transform into overflowing compartments a test of patience and resilience for the commuters as they attempt to board the trainFor someone who travels every day witnessing people travelling on footboard even as the compartment struggles to hold more passengers is common Amid this situation one can overhear passengers especially in first class compartments or the airconditioned local trains saying that half the people who have boarded the train are likely to not possess appropriate ticket for travel Some can be heard complaining that the ticket checkers are nowhere to be found during peak hoursDia Sharma who travels to Churchgate from Mira Road noted that she had witnessed passengers getting into arguments and often expressing their frustration by exclaiming Bina ticket ke chadh jate hai Some passengers board the train without a ticketPassengers comment on one being ticketless traveller in crowded trains especially when the people do not get a seat or space to stand comfortably she notedCommuter ninjasWhile some commuters to an extent can be understanding of the reason why a person may be travelling ticketless there are some who decide to confront travellers randomly and single them out they demand from others to furnish their ticketsWhen asked about whether they had witnessed such situation while travelling Aarna N a Mumbaikar who often travels across the Central and Western Railwaysrsquo suburban lines said she did see this unfolding in a ladies first class compartmentDubbing it as an elitist way of thinking the media professional commented The asking for ticket happened at a time when the train was crowded People make assumptions about others and whether they can afford to have a valid ticket or not based on ones appearanceThe issue however drives a wedge between those commuting in local trains as some condone the practice and some condemn itElaborating on her stance Sharvari B another Mumbaikar who is in her 20s said that it was not okay for the passengers to take matters into their own handsEveryone especially during peak hours is rushing to get to their jobs on time Most unintentionally do not possess valid tickets and singling them out only adds to stress she saidWhile the media professional commented It is not a passengers duty to check who is buying tickets and who is not Demanding a show of tickets only leads to ego clashes and unnecessary fightsOnly authorities should be allowed to check tickets she addedDia noted She also observed On the Western line TCs are infrequently seen within AC local trains perhaps twice or three times a week at most Despite commuting in Mumbai locals for the past decade Ive never seen TCs in nonAC trains This reoccurring issue is beyond the ability of ordinary passengers to fix as depending on fellow passengers to check tickets might quickly escalate to conflicts and arguments A more effective solution to this problem could be for TCs to verify tickets on a regular basis and impose finesHowever another commuter who is currently pursuing a Masters in Business Administration commended the passengers especially women commuters who take on the ticketchecking duties amid the rushI wholeheartedly support the initiative she said reasoning that it is already difficult to board locals during peak hours due to the rush especially in the first class compartment which has a rather limited space and pay double the amount to travel with easeThe student added that when some travel without a ticket it does not seem fair to the ones who have shelled out more money from their pocketsDo passengers have the authority to check ticketsOne question while pondering over the issue looms largecan passengers actually ask someone to show their ticketsSpeaking to midday the representatives from Central and Western Railway that operate suburban local services said that only railway ticket checking personnel can check ticketsAuthority to check tickets is granted to railway ticket checking personnel under Section 54 of the Indian Railway Act Unauthorised individuals are prohibited from conducting ticket checks on trains or railway premises Violators may be subject to legal repercussions said Swapnil Neela CPRO of Central RailwayMeanwhile the CPRO of Western Railway Sumit Thakur said that they have received no such complaints and thus action has not been warranted in the required matterWhen asked the authorities about how they plan to address the complaints by commuters claiming inadequacy of ticket checking drives during peak hours Thakur said Railways are conducting surprise fortress checks and intensive checks in running trains and stations to curb ticket less travelling during rush hours As per requirement more surprise checks will be planned accordinglyMeanwhile Neela said Were implementing thorough special checks during peak hours When its crowded and difficult to board the train we do more targeted spot checks particularly at stations to ensure that everyone has a valid ticket So far this year through February our division has collected fines totaling Rs 105 croresWhat NextThe issue of ticketless travel has persisted despite efforts from Railway authorities to curb the practice Random checks introduction of online ticketing applicationUTS and etc are being implementedWhile their action is commendable commuters say it is not adequately addressing the greater problem overcrowded infrastructure and a stretched system The thought of fellow commuters acting as enforcers is not ideal A longterm solution necessitates a multifaceted approach they addedAarna while speaking about it said I support random checks conducted by authorised personnel as it will be better if the ticket checkers are not standing at the same place on the station premises With the railway stations having multiple exits those travelling regularly are aware of the spots where ticket checkers are often spotted and avoid those placesShe added that operating trains as per the schedule will also largely help Commuters get frustrated with delayed trains and it results in them getting into first class and AC trains without proper tickets I believe getting trains to operate on time will help to a large extent the Mumbaikar saidSimilarly Dia suggested that the ticket checkers should also be present inside local trains and not just on bridgesMeanwhile Sharvari suggested the installation of ticket scanners at the entry of the railway station like the Mumbai metro has She said it would be fair to everyoneSagarika C another commuter added that ticket although the railways has made UTS application available it is not hasslefreeDespite having UTS application for online booking purchasing tickets is not easy The UTS app has a lot of glitches and drawbacks like one cannot book tickets inside the railway station premises The application needs to be more userfriendlyNote denotes name change