New Delhi: In India, overnight train trips are not uncommon and are common for long-distance trains. Indian Railways has laid down certain rules for Travelling Ticket Examiners (TTEs) to ensure that there is minimal disruption to passengers during the night hours; however, many may not be aware that there are rules that apply when examining tickets during a journey.
Indian Railways’ operating instructions state that in the general case, if the seat is reserved, then the passengers should not be woken up only for re-verification of their tickets between 10:00 PM and 6:00 AM, unless there is some reason to suspect that any passenger is not boarding the train with a valid ticket or is travelling irregularly.
The provision is aimed at allowing passengers, particularly those undertaking long-distance journeys, to rest without unnecessary interruption during the night.
When Can a TTE Check Tickets at Night?
The night-time guideline does not mean that ticket checking is completely prohibited between 10:00 PM and 6:00 AM.
Passengers who board a train during these hours may still have their tickets checked. Similarly, checking may be carried out where a passenger’s ticket has not already been examined after boarding.
Railway instructions also allow checks during night hours in certain circumstances, including when a train departs from its originating station at or after 10:00 PM, when passengers begin their journey during the 10:00 PM–6:00 AM period, or when their tickets have not previously been checked.
Ticket-checking staff also retain responsibility for preventing unauthorised passengers from occupying reserved coaches. Therefore, passengers may be approached when there is a valid reason to suspect unauthorised or irregular travel.
What Should Passengers Keep in Mind?
For passengers who boarded earlier and whose tickets have already been checked and verified, the general principle is that they should not be unnecessarily disturbed between 10:00 PM and 6:00 AM.
However, passengers boarding during the night should keep their ticket or electronic reservation details and the required identification readily accessible for verification.
The rules essentially seek to strike a balance between two requirements: allowing legitimate passengers to rest comfortably during overnight journeys while enabling railway staff to ensure that reserved coaches are not occupied by unauthorised travellers.
For passengers, understanding these guidelines can help avoid confusion during overnight journeys and make interactions with ticket-checking staff smoother and more informed.
