Hike in fine by PMPML deters ticketless travellers

Hike in fine by PMPML deters ticketless travellers

Pune: Transport utility Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited’s (PMPML) decision to hike penalty on ticketless travel has yielded positives result with the number of ticketless travellers declining in last seven months. The fine was hiked from Rs 100 to Rs 300 in August 2017 by the PMPML administration to deter ticketless travellers ,who caused a major loss to the transport body.

PMPML’s board of directors had taken a decision to increase the fine amount for ticketless travellers in August with the new fine being effective from August 22. 

Apart from increasing the fine for ticketless travel from to Rs 300, the transport body had also decided to clamp down on those ‘misusing’ the passenger passes by increasing the fine to Rs 500 per day if a passenger is found to be using a tampered or expired pass.

According to PMPML, in April 2017, 3,656 ticketless travellers were caught by squads to curb the ticketless travelling. The number for May, June and July were 3,368, 3,200 and 3,725 respectively. The new fine was introduced in the last week of August 2017. 

After August, the numbers show a declining trend 3,007 in September, 2271 (Oct), 2,178 (Nov), 1467 (Dec), 1812 (Jan 2018), 1609 (Feb 2018).

The PMPML sources conceded that many passengers caught while travelling without ticket is a small fraction of the total number of those misusing the travel facility. They pointed out a shortage of staff in the ‘ticket checking’ department often prevents them from clamping down on freeloaders. “There are only about 30 staffers in the department, who can go out on the field for ticket checking drives. Considering that some of them will be on leave, we effectively get about 25 ticket checkers, who can be allotted duties. Thus, about 12 ticket checkers are deployed in two batches each – morning and afternoon batch,” sources said.

“Hence, we send out about four teams consisting of three ticket checkers each. Considering the total passenger count, this is a very small number. We should have more such teams if we really want to control the menace of ticketless travel,” said an official. 

Fine recovered
Month & Year    Penalty amount recoverd
April 2017            Rs. 3,65,640
May 2017            Rs. 336800
June 2017           Rs. 3,20,000
July 2017            Rs. 3,76,000
August 2017       Rs. 6,40,500
September 2017 Rs. 9,02,150
October 2017      Rs. 6,81,500
November 2017  Rs. 6,52,400
December 2017  Rs. 4,40,300
January 2018      Rs. 5,43,800
February 2018    Rs. 4,82,900

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