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Central Railway Cracks Down on Foreign Tourist Quota Misuse, Recovers Rs 3.56 Lakh

Central Railway intensified action against misuse of the Foreign Tourist Quota after detecting irregularities in Train No. 12296 Sanghamitra Express. A detailed analysis found 174 original PNRs issued under FT Quota for future dates. Special checks detected 39 misused PNRs, leading to penalties of Rs 3.56 lakh on 121 passengers. Information has been sought from IRCTC to investigate involvement of authorised booking agents.

Key Points: Central Railway Penalises 121 for FT Quota Misuse

  • 39 PNRs detected under FT Quota misuse
  • 121 passengers penalised, Rs 3.56 lakh recovered
  • Berths reallocated to RAC/waitlisted passengers
  • IRCTC data sought to identify booking agents
3 min read

Central Railway takes strict action against misuse of Foreign Tourist Quota: 39 cases detected, Rs 3.56 lakh recovered as penalty

Central Railway detected 39 cases of Foreign Tourist Quota misuse, penalised 121 passengers, and recovered Rs 3.56 lakh. Investigation underway to identify agents involved.

"Boosting India's infrastructure, furthering economic growth! - Narendra Modi"

New Delhi, May 7

Central Railway on Thursday intensified its drive against the misuse of the Foreign Tourist Quota after irregularities were detected in bookings involving Indian citizens travelling without valid supporting documents.

The matter came to light on 04.02.2026 in Train No. 12296 Sanghamitra Express, where some Indian passengers were found travelling on FT Quota tickets without the mandatory documents required for foreign tourists.

A detailed analysis was conducted of FT Quota bookings for future dates. The investigation revealed that 174 original (Passenger Name Record) PNRs under the FT Quota had been issued by Central Railway in 31 trains for the period from 24.04.2026 to 11.06.2026.

Special checks were carried out by Central Railway's ticket checking staff to verify the authenticity of FT Quota tickets. During these drives, 39 PNRs booked through misuse of the FT Quota were detected. A total of 121 passengers were found travelling irregularly. They were penalised as per existing rules, and a sum of Rs 3,56,916 was recovered as a penalty. The passengers were not allowed to occupy the berths, which were subsequently allotted to Reservation Against Cancellation (RAC)/waitlisted passengers.

Additional information has been sought from IRCTC to ascertain the involvement of any authorised booking agents in these bookings. An investigation is underway to identify individuals and entities involved in unauthorised bookings under the FT Quota.

Booking tickets under an ineligible quota is a punishable offence under the Railway Act. Passengers are required to carry valid identification and supporting documents for the quota under which the ticket has been booked.

Central Railway has appealed to passengers to report or share any such information with the nearest on-duty railway staff, or through 139 or the Rail Madad app.

Central Railway has also urged all passengers to ensure the authenticity and validity of their tickets before travelling.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded the Union cabinet's approval of recent railway projects covering 19 districts across six states in the country, calling it a symbol of India's "boosting infrastructure" and "furthering economic growth."

In an 'X' post, the Prime Minister said that the projects would enhance connectivity, improve operational connectivity and give access to various tourist sites across the country.

"Boosting India's infrastructure, furthering economic growth! The Cabinet's approval for railways projects covering 19 Districts across Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana will enhance connectivity and improve operational efficiency. It will improve access to key tourism sites across the nation as well," PM Modi wrote.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
I travelled to India from the UK last month and tried booking a train via IRCTC. The FT quota was completely sold out for 3 consecutive days on my route. Now I understand why - locals were booking those slots with fake documents! This is really unfair to tourists who rely on this quota. Hope the investigation leads to some travel agents being blacklisted. 🇮🇳🙏
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Priya S
Honestly, this is just the tip of the iceberg. The whole railway booking system needs an overhaul. Why should there be special quotas at all? Just have one fair system for everyone - Indian or foreigner. Create separate trains or coaches if needed, but these quota manipulations just encourage corruption. Also good to see the PM linking this to infra development - railway expansion is desperately needed across our states. 👏
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James A
Typical Indian jugaad - people always find a way to game the system. But credit where due, Railway Ministry and Central Railway are actually taking action. 39 cases detected and immediate action taken. Now they need to trace back to the agents who facilitated this. The Rs 3.56 lakh recovery is good but I hope they also file criminal cases under the Railway Act. Settlements don't act as deterrents.
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Rohit P
As someone who travels by train frequently, I've always wondered how some people get confirmed tickets when the general quota shows WL50+. Now I know. FT quota misuse is a serious issue. But I'm also wondering - will the Railways now increase general quota for popular routes like Sanghamitra Express? More berths for genuine passengers, less incentive to cheat. Good initiative overall. 🚂
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Michael C

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