Agartala/Guwahati, Aug 8 (IANS): More than 5.63 lakh railway passengers were caught travelling ticketless or with improper tickets and carrying un-booked luggage in the northeastern region and nearby areas in the first seven months of the year, official said on Thursday.

Over Rs 38.73 crore was realised as fine from these passengers between January and July, said Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) Chief PRO Pranav Jyoti Sharma. This was 13.17 per cent more in terms of numbers of penalty cases detected and 16.55 per cent higher in terms of fines for January-July of 2018.

Sharma said during the period, the NFR also surpassed the target of passenger earnings 2.52 per cent. The earnings were Rs 626.21 crore against the target of Rs 610.79 crore.

"As per section 137, of the Indian Railway Act of 1989, travelling without ticket, improper ticket or un-booked luggage is an offence punishable by imprisonment or fine or both," he pointed out.

The NFR covers seven districts of West Bengal and five districts of Bihar besides the eight northeastern states.