Dynamic QR Codes coming to Mumbai locals to stop ticket fraud

Mumbai Railways is shutting down a major ticketing loophole with a tech upgrade. To stop passengers from cheating the system using saved QR codes, static codes are being replaced with dynamic ones that refresh regularly.

This move aims to end the widespread practice of commuters scanning pre-downloaded codes only when ticket inspectors are nearby, bypassing both queues and geofencing rules, and restore fairness to digital ticketing.

At present, static QR stickers at station entrances let commuters use the UTS app to book tickets without queuing, but many exploited the system by saving these codes on their phones and scanning them later, often only when ticket checkers appeared, thus bypassing the geofencing rule that requires booking 20–25 metres away from platforms.

Railway officials said this misuse not only caused revenue losses but also gave defaulters an unfair edge over genuine passengers, while inflating app traffic and distorting passenger data needed for crowd management. To fix this, static stickers will now be replaced with dynamic QR codes that refresh constantly and carry time-based information, displayed on digital screens at stations. This move will make stored or shared codes useless and ensure fair ticketing, smoother travel, and equal treatment for all commuters.