MUMBAI: The Western Railway’s deployment of bodycams for its ticket checkers (TCs) appears to be paying dividends, with the number of ticketless commuters caught rising since a special, fortnight-long drive was launched on October 31.
The recordings will not only provide documented evidence, should we need it, but will also be used for training purposes. At present, the railway is using 15 bodycams, one each for 15 TCs wearing special black jackets with the cameras attached. In the last three days, these TCs have caught 1,400-odd ticketless commuters daily, against the 300-odd typically caught, WR officials say. “At present, 15 body cams are available with us for use. We will procure at least 1,000 body cams for our ticket-checking staff,” said a WR official. Now, according to WR officials, the latest body cams are light weight, durable, improved versions that would not impact health of the user and each costs around ₹ 10,000.
During the initial trial, the TCs complained that they were was heating up due to constant use and recording.
Sources said that they approached various private hospitals and shopping malls who use such body cams to find the right body cam.
When the TC and the commuter alighted at Andheri station at 8:42am, the commuter, whose penalty amounted to ₹ 510, allegedly bit and scratched the TC in a scuffle that ensued. In the Kandivali incident on October 16, ticket checking staff confronted a woman travelling without a ticket and asked her to pay a fine of ₹ 510. The WR first mooted the idea of using body cams in mid-2025. Meanwhile, the WR’s special ticket-checking drive will continue until November 14. From April to October 2026, Western Railway detected 1.8 million ticketless passengers, and collected ₹ 138 crore in fines.
TCs are hoping the tech will deter commuters from attacking them when caught without tickets in trains and on platforms. When the passenger tried to flee, the TC attempted to stop her, and both women tumbled, their clothes tearing in the process. The matter escalated after a crowd gathered outside the ticket-checking office, demanding a public apology for alleged misconduct. After much research, they say they may have found the right tech for the job. TCs have been deployed at major railway stations such as Borivali, Andheri and Bandra. The drive is specifically aimed at air-conditioned local trains, which are prone to ticketless travel.
Last month, a woman TC was roughed up at Kandivali station, while another woman TC was attacked by a woman ticketless commuter caught in a Virar-bound local train on Wednesday.
