121 Passengers Caught Misusing Foreign Tourist Quota Tickets, Central Railway Recovers Rs 3.56 Lakh
121 Passengers Caught Misusing Foreign Tourist Quota Tickets, Central Railway Recovers Rs 3.56 Lakh
Central Railway recovered more than Rs 3.56 lakh after detecting misuse of foreign tourist quota tickets across 31 trains
Central Railway has launched a major crackdown on the misuse of Foreign Tourist (FT) quota tickets after detecting several Indian passengers travelling without the required documents under the special reservation category.
The matter first came to light on February 4, 2026, during checks on the Sanghamitra Express, where ticket-checking staff found Indian passengers travelling on FT quota tickets without valid foreign tourist documents. Following the incident, railway authorities began a wider investigation into future bookings made under the quota.
During scrutiny, officials found that 174 PNRs had been booked under the Foreign Tourist quota across 31 trains between April 24 and June 11, 2026. A special verification drive later revealed misuse in 39 PNRs involving 121 passengers.
Railway authorities recovered Rs 3,56,916 as penalty from the passengers travelling irregularly. The reserved berths of those passengers were cancelled and later allotted to RAC and waitlisted passengers.
Officials said booking tickets under an ineligible quota is a punishable offence under the Railways Act. Passengers travelling under special quotas are required to carry valid identity proof and supporting documents according to the category under which the booking is made.
Central Railway has also sought information from IRCTC to determine whether authorised booking agents were involved in facilitating such bookings. An investigation is currently underway to identify the individuals and entities linked to the misuse.
According to railway guidelines, the Foreign Tourist quota is meant for foreign nationals and NRIs holding valid passports and verified international mobile numbers. Passengers booking under this category must provide passport details at the time of reservation and can make bookings up to 365 days in advance.
The quota is available across several travel classes including Executive Class, AC tiers, Sleeper and Second Sitting. IRCTC also charges an additional service fee for tickets booked under this category.
Railway authorities have appealed to passengers to report suspicious bookings or irregularities through railway staff, the 139 helpline or the Rail Madad app.
