Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) data reveals that more than 10.43 lakh commuters have been caught red-handed travelling ticketless. More than Rs 20.83 crore has also been recovered from them as fine in the last three years and four months.
At present, the DTC is facing severe finance crunch and and is reeling under the pressure of revenue generation. Mail Today has a copy of RTI documents filed by east Delhi-based NGO Public Protection Movement Organisation that show DTC officers have recovered Rs 20.83 crore through fines on 10.43 lakh people between January 2012 and April 2016.
"We have already deployed staff on checking duty and told our officials to adopt a zero tolerance approach for ticketless travel as a large number of people travel in DTC buses without purchasing tickets. Ticketless travel is causing huge revenue loss to us," a DTC official said.
DTC also has special magistrates for disposing on-the-spot cases of commuters caught red-handed while travelling ticketless in the buses.The DTC has already increased the number of checking staff largely and deal with the menace of ticketless travel. However, as per existing rules, in cases where travelers are unable to pay the fine amount, they won't be left off , but punished by Special Magistrates.
To minimise the losses and generate revenue, the corporation has a special checking drive which is monitored at the highest level to fully eliminate ticketless travel.
Through this drive conductors are instructed to keep eye on the ticketless travelers and to reach out to the passengers to issue tickets so that all passengers possess one. DTC too has asked the conductor to convince those who stay away from taking ticket on excuses of being staff members and of law enforcing agencies.
To boost the public transport and to maintain the fair travelling, Delhi Government has recently cheaper the bus fares. From January 1, 2017 there will be a flat fare of Rs 5 in non-AC DTC and cluster buses and Rs 10 for air-conditioned buses. At present, a ride in a non-AC bus can cost anywhere between Rs 5 and Rs 15. The AC buses charge fares between Rs 10 and Rs 25.