Pune: A student was allegedly made to pay ₹7,000 by a Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) ticket-checking official despite the prescribed penalty for travelling without a ticket being ₹500, in an incident on the Katraj-Wakad route. The student has also alleged that the amount was accepted in the personal bank account of the ticket checker.
As per the information given by the public transport body, the incident occurred on August 25, when the student was travelling from Wakad to Katraj in the bus. During checking, he was found without a valid ticket. According to the student, the ticket checker subsequently examined his online ticketing history and found several failed transactions dating back nearly eight months. On the same morning, between 9.15 am and 10.30 am, 11 online transactions had reportedly failed.
The student alleged that the failed transactions were treated as instances of ticketless travel and that he was initially asked to pay ₹13,000. The amount was later reduced to ₹10,000 and finally ₹7,000 was collected. He has questioned how a penalty could be negotiated and whether a ticket-checking official has the authority to do so.
“The ₹7,000 was transferred to the ticket checker’s personal bank account instead of an authorised PMPML account. While issuing the receipt, I was made to write that he was voluntarily paying ₹7,000 as a fine,” said the student on condition of anonymity.
{{/usCountry}}“The ₹7,000 was transferred to the ticket checker’s personal bank account instead of an authorised PMPML account. While issuing the receipt, I was made to write that he was voluntarily paying ₹7,000 as a fine,” said the student on condition of anonymity.
{{/usCountry}}PMPML has previously faced complaints relating to incomplete online ticket transactions and ticket fares not being credited to its account.
According to PMPML’s official statement, “Ticketless travel will not be tolerated, but our staff are also required to strictly follow the prescribed procedure while collecting penalties. If a passenger has faced any difficulty or believes that an incorrect amount has been collected, we will verify the ticketing and payment records. Any employee found violating the prescribed procedure will face appropriate action.”