Western Railway Ticket Checking Drive Tightens Mumbai Festive Travel

Western Railway has launched a 15-day ticket checking drive across Mumbai Central Division to curb ticketless and irregular travel during the Diwali festive rush, with dedicated squads deployed at stations and on trains until November 14.

The campaign, called Operation DEEP, began on October 31 and is intended to manage the anticipated increase in passenger traffic while supporting smoother travel for passengers holding valid tickets, according to a press release issued by Western Railway Chief Public Relations Officer Vineet Abhishek.

The name DEEP represents four operational measures: Detect, Examine, Enforce and Penalise. Railway teams will detect ticketless and irregular travellers, examine tickets and valid identity documents, enforce railway rules aimed at curbing overcrowding, and penalise offenders under the provisions of the Railways Act.

Western Railway has deployed dedicated ticket-checking squads at stations and aboard trains across the Mumbai Central Division. The railway zone has appealed to passengers to purchase valid tickets before travelling and has encouraged commuters to use digital ticketing facilities.