Mumbai’s local train system has a new guardian, the ‘Batman Squad’, a special team established by the Western Railway’s Mumbai division. This squad is tasked with mitigating the surge in ticketless passengers during the night.

What Happened: As per a report in the Navbharat Times, the Batman Squad, which stands for ‘Be Aware TTE Manning At Night’, began its operations on March 11, patrolling local trains and stations after 8 pm. Since its inception, the squad has apprehended around 2,500 ticketless passengers, leading to a revenue gain of approximately ₹6.50 lakh for the railways.

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The primary responsibility of the Batman Squad is to ensure ticket compliance. However, they also keep an eye on the activities at the stations during the night. This heightened vigilance is expected to instil a sense of safety and security among women passengers, as the TTEs will now conduct checks in the women’s coach during nighttime hours.

The rise in ticketless passengers has been a significant issue, particularly for those commuting in AC locals during the night. The Batman Squad’s deployment is a response to the daily complaints on social media about overcrowding caused by ticketless individuals.

The Western Railway has also recently initiated a campaign to promote digital tickets, which has led to a substantial increase in the use of the UTS mobile app for ticket bookings. The Batman Squad’s efforts align with this initiative, aiming to ensure compliance and promote the use of digital tickets. This move is expected to streamline operations, increase revenue, and enhance passenger safety, particularly for women passengers during the night.

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