New Delhi, July 31: In a bid to prevent ticketless travelling, a bill raising penalty for such crime to Rs 250 was passed by Rajya Sabha today. Besides the fine, the ticketless travellers would have to pay the fare. Hitherto, the fine for ticketless travel was only Rs 50.
Asserting that raising the fine would deter ticketless travellers, Railway Minister Nitish Kumar said he proposed soon to introduce other tough measures for unauthorised travel. He said the railways would introduce computerised ticket facility for unreserved travellers.
Kumar said last year alone, the railways had realised over Rs 220 crore as fine from ticketless travellers.
Members, welcoming the tough measures, urged the minister to take urgent steps to tone up railway safety and speed up modernisation drive. Bureau Report