With a large number of unauthorised hawkers found selling unlicensed food items and bottled water in trains and at railway stations across the Pune division, the commercial department of the railway long with the Railway Security Force (RSF) has initiated action against such hawkers, catching 560 of them and collecting over ₹3 lakh in fines in the past one month.
According to the information shared by the Central Railway (CR), the RSF and the commercial department of the railway launched a drive against unauthorised hawkers in trains and at railway stations around a month ago. Action was taken against such hawkers selling unlicensed food and bottled water at major stations such as Pune, Daund, Miraj, Satara, Ahmednagar, Kopargaon and Belapur.
In this operation, about 560 hawkers were caught red-handed between April 27 and May 12 and cases were filed against 351 of them, collecting ₹317,425 in fines from them. Also, 1,945 unlicensed packaged water bottles were seized from the hawkers. Apart from this, ₹60,000 was collected in fines from vendors selling food and bottled water at higher prices at official railway stalls.
“Many vendors in the Pune railway station area are extracting more money from passengers for food items and bottled water. At the same time, many passengers have complained that the products of unauthorised companies are being sold. Passengers have pointed out to the railway administration that bottled water is also being sold at exorbitant rates. Therefore, there is demand to take action against these hawkers and vendors who are looting the passengers,” said Harsha Shah, president, Railway Pravasi Group.
{{/usCountry}}“Many vendors in the Pune railway station area are extracting more money from passengers for food items and bottled water. At the same time, many passengers have complained that the products of unauthorised companies are being sold. Passengers have pointed out to the railway administration that bottled water is also being sold at exorbitant rates. Therefore, there is demand to take action against these hawkers and vendors who are looting the passengers,” said Harsha Shah, president, Railway Pravasi Group.
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