Railway Ticket Booking Period Reduced to 60 Days
Railway News: Starting from November 1, the reservation period for railway tickets will be reduced from 120 days to 60 days, according to a report by CNBC-TV18. This change was implemented to manage the surge in passengers during the festive season.
Special Ticket-Checking Drive
In September, the Ministry of Railways announced a special ticket-checking drive to prevent ticketless travel during the festival period. The drive is scheduled in two phases: October 1-15 and October 25-November 10. The Ministry directed the General Managers of 17 Zones to enforce the rules strictly under the Railways Act of 1989.
Policemen Among Top Violators
Interestingly, the Railways noted that policemen are among the top violators when it comes to ticketless travel. During a surprise check between Ghaziabad and Kanpur, hundreds of policemen were found traveling without tickets in AC coaches. Initially, many resisted paying fines and threatened the railway staff, but the officials remained firm, and the fines were eventually collected.
Public Response Encouraging
The railway official mentioned that passengers were pleasantly surprised to see action being taken against police personnel. The public responded positively to the effort to enforce rules for all passengers equally.
Policemen 'Creating Nuisance'
Ticket-checking staff from the North Central Railways Zone shared their frustrations, stating that unauthorized policemen often create a nuisance for passengers with valid tickets. Train Ticket Examiners (TTEs) reported that some policemen not only travel without tickets but also harass valid passengers by forcing them to share their berths and intimidating railway employees when confronted.
Threats Faced by Railway Staff
Sanjay Singh, President of the Indian Railway Ticket Checking Staff Organisation (IRTCSO), explained that dealing with ticketless policemen is challenging. He highlighted incidents where police personnel threatened to file false cases against railway employees when asked for valid tickets. Singh urged police departments to take action against such personnel, as their behavior tarnishes the image of law enforcement and causes inconvenience to other passengers.
Ticketless Travel: A Common Offense
Ticketless travel remains one of the most frequent violations on Indian Railways. In the financial year 2023-24, railway officials caught 361.045 lakh passengers traveling without proper tickets, collecting Rs. 2231.74 crore in fines, as revealed by an RTI response.
Also read: Diwali 2024: Date Confusion and Celebrations Across India
Ministry's Focus on Passenger Comfort
To ensure smooth travel during the festive rush, the Ministry of Railways has asked each zone to appoint senior officers to oversee the ticket-checking drive. These officers will monitor the operation at both the divisional and zonal levels, and feedback on the initiative is expected by November 18.
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