Indian Railways improperly collected ₹168 crore in superfast surcharges

A report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has revealed that Indian Railways collected approximately ₹168 crore in irregular “superfast surcharges” from passengers between April 2022 and March 2023.

According to railway regulations, a superfast surcharge can only be applied to trains that maintain a minimum average speed of 55 km/h from their starting to their final station. However, the audit found that the surcharge was levied on more than 190 trains that did not meet this speed requirement.

Further scrutiny of Integrated Coach Management System (ICMS) data indicated that as of March 2026, 100 of these identified trains continue to operate at average speeds below the 55 km/h threshold. Despite instructions issued by the Ministry of Railways in November 2025, zonal railways have reportedly continued to collect the extra fees, suggesting a failure to implement corrective measures at the ground level.