Title - NORTHERN RAILWAY CRACKS DOWN ON TOUTS, TRAVEL AGENCIES AND RAIL PASSENGERS TRAVELLING ON TRANSFERRED

In order to tackle the Holi & Summer Rush of passengers – 2013 Northern Railway has chalked out an action plan to ensure smooth functioning of reservation counters, complaint free passenger amenities and to check the malpractices in reservation offices. For smooth functioning of all arrangements, senior railway officers have been deputed to supervise all the reservation counters at all the locations, the staff nominated for countersigning the requisition slips and ensure availability of adequate requisition forms at all reservation offices. Team of Commercial/Vigilance Inspectors and RPF/Police staff are deputed at reservation offices for keeping surveillance over the activities of touts and anti-social elements and detect various frauds including Travel on Transfer Tickets. Squads of Commercial and ticket checking staff have been formed to organize special surprise check to curb the activities of anti-social elements and to organize special checks to detect various frauds including transfer-of-ticket cases.

Zeroing on the menace of Touts in the ensuing Holi/Summer Season- 2013, Northern Railway is undertaking intensified efforts & tougher measures to punish wrong-doers including colluding in-house staff. The Railway has formulated intensive check points at various levels to plug all possible loopholes in ticket purchasing.

Preventive checks were intensified during the special drive by Anti fraud squad of HQ at Mass Contact Area at PRS/Booking Centers, Platforms, Trains, Reservation etc. at various locations and raids were conducted over Northern Railway. 118 preventive checks were organized from 1st March-2013 to 20th March-2013 and 74 persons were apprehended and handed over to RPF for prosecution.

Northern Railway also organized raids on the premises of authorized and unauthorized ticketing agencies in order to prevent blocking of reservations under fictitious names and subsequent sale of transferred tickets. During these checks 52 touts, 7 authorised/unauthorized JTBS (Jansatharan Ticket Booking Sales Agent) and 2 passengers found traveling on transfer ticket during the period from Ist March to 20th March, 2013, were prosecuted under section 143/144 of the Railway Act.After implementing the ID proof System, there has been tremendous reduction in the cases of TOT (Transfer OF Tickets).

Northern Railway reiterates its appeal to the general public not to patronise touts and unauthorised ticketing agencies and always purchase tickets from Railway Reservation Centres & Authorised Travel Agents.