Ticketless On Mumbai Local Trains? Beware, 'Batman' Is Watching You At Night!

During the evening hours, Mumbai's local trains and stations have witnessed a rise in ticketless passengers, as ticket inspectors are largely absent after 8 pm.

To tackle this issue, the Western Railway's Mumbai division has formed a dedicated team to conduct ticket checks inside local trains and at stations during the night.

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Batsman Squad In Mumbai Locals

This team has been named the 'Batman Squad', which stands for 'Be Aware TTE Manning At Night'. The 'Batman' team will ensure ticket compliance. The initiation of this campaign was marked by the commencement of patrolling by the Batman Squad on the night of March 11.

Since then, approximately 2,500 ticketless passengers have faced consequences, resulting in a revenue gain of around Rs 6.50 lakh for the railway. While ensuring ticket compliance is the primary responsibility of the Batman team, they are also tasked with monitoring activities taking place at the stations during the night.

This enhanced vigilance is expected to provide a sense of safety and security for women passengers, as checks in the women's coach during nighttime hours will now be conducted by the TTEs. The surge in ticketless and general ticket passengers has been particularly troublesome for those travelling in AC locals during the night, causing overcrowding.

Passengers who purchase tickets at five times the normal price have faced numerous difficulties due to the overcrowding caused by ticketless individuals. Daily complaints flooding social media platforms have prompted the railway to deploy the Batman Squad during night hours to address this pressing issue.

A campaign to promote digital tickets was recently launched by the WR, yielding positive results with an increase in the usage of the UTS mobile app for ticket bookings. The number of tickets booked through mobile channels has doubled post-COVID, showcasing the growing acceptance and adoption of digital ticketing methods.

An innovative idea to promote ticket purchasing and discourage ticketless travel was come up with by the Mumbai Central division of the Western Railway in December. From December 25 to January 25, the "Mera Ticket Mera Imaan" contest/campaign was hosted by WR's Mumbai Central Division.