Fines boost SLR revenue

Irangika Range

Sri Lanka Railways (SLR) earned Rs 1.6 million as fines from 1,039 ticketless travellers or those found in the wrong compartment (class) during the first five months of this year.

This was made up of fines slapped for travelling without tickets, travelling second class using third class tickets and travelling beyond the destination mentioned in the ticket, SLR Security Division’s Security Officer N.R.Ranaweera said.

In January, railway authorities arrested 187 ticketless travellers and earned Rs 173,615 as fines while fines amounting to Rs 355,024 were collected from 430 ticketless travellers in February.

One hundred forty ticketless travellers were nabbed and Rs 306,806 earned as fines in May while fines amounting to Rs 92,579 were collected from 45 ticketless travellers in April.

The SLR earned Rs 650,493 as fines from 237 ticketless travellers in May. The fines imposed on ticketless train passengers have been increased to Rs 2,500 from February. This has resulted in an increase in revenue for the SLR, Ranaweera said.

He said fines were increased from Rs 900 to Rs 2,500 as a result of the percentage of passengers travelling without tickets in trains had seen a rise over the past few years.

Ticketless travellers now have to pay an increased fine of Rs 2,500 plus double the amount of his or her train fare, Ranaweera said.