GUWAHATI: The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has recovered Rs 51.94 crore from 7, 78548 passengers travelling without tickets, with irregular tickets and un-booked luggage cases during January to December, 2019, an official statement issued on Thursday said. This is about 25.55 per cent more in terms of the number of penalty cases detected and 21.07 per cent higher in terms of earnings for the corresponding period of last year. NF Railway officials have been conducting regular surprise ticket checks in Mail, Express and passenger Trains running through all the five divisions in a bid to curb the menace of ticket less travel. According to 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. NF Railway has also put systems in place whereby surprise ticket checks are conducted by flying squads of divisions as well as headquarters. Fortress checks are also conducted in stations.