Central Railway to run special ticket checking drive from October 1 to 31, ID and eligibility papers needed

Holding a ticket or pass will no longer be enough for travellers on Central Railway. Passengers will also have to carry the required documents. The railway will run a special ticket checking drive from October 1 to October 31, 2026.

During the drive, railway staff will closely check whether a ticket is valid and whether the person travelling on it is entitled to it. Besides checking that a ticket exists, staff may also check whether the basis and eligibility required to obtain it have been met.

Identity and eligibility documents are especially important for people travelling on concessions, special reservation quotas, e-passes or Privilege Ticket Orders (PTO). In Indian Railways, a PTO is a concessional travel voucher given to eligible serving and retired railway employees. It lets them buy railway tickets at one-third of the normal fare, or 33 per cent.

According to Dr Swapnil Nila, Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of Central Railway, passengers travelling on a concession or special reservation quota must carry the required identity card. If several people are travelling on a single ticket, under railway rules at least one passenger must have the required identity card. Staff will inspect these documents during checks to establish that the ticket has been issued to the right passenger.

The railway has also said what will happen if documents are not found. If the required original documents are not produced during checking, passengers travelling on that ticket may, under the applicable rules, be treated as travelling without a valid ticket. Even with a ticket in hand, passengers without the documents could face trouble. Those who have taken a ticket under a concession or special quota should check their papers before travelling.

Unreserved tickets will also be checked in the drive. Ticket examiners can, if needed, verify and check a ticket using the TTE app. Even a passenger without a reserved seat, travelling on an unreserved ticket, can have the ticket's validity checked.

According to the railway, the following documents are valid as identity proof while travelling: Aadhaar card, voter photo identity card, passport, PAN card, driving licence, numbered photo identity card issued by the central or a state government, student photo identity card, passbook of a nationalised bank with photograph, and credit card with a laminated photograph. For tickets with eligibility conditions, any identity card will not be enough, and eligibility documents may also have to be shown as required.

Central Railway said the aim of the checks is to curb irregularities related to tickets and reservations. The railway will focus in particular on preventing loss of revenue, misuse of reservations, and fraudulent use of concessions, passes and other benefits.