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Ticketless passengers on Amritsar-Ludhiana train expose laxity in checking amid pandemic
The two passengers claimed they boarded the Golden Temple Express in Amritsar, but were neither asked for a ticket while getting on the train nor during the journey.
Two ticketless passengers caught deboarding from an Amritsar train at the Ludhiana railway station on Tuesday has exposed negligence in checking passengers.
The passengers, who were fined Rs 940, claimed they boarded the Golden Temple Express in Amritsar, but were neither asked for a ticket while getting on the train nor during the journey.
Since trains resumed amid the Covid-19 pandemic, railway staff were directed to ensure that only passengers with confirmed tickets are allowed to travel on trains.
On Monday night, as the two passengers deboarded the train in Ludhiana, they stayed back at the platform to avoid thermal screening and getting caught.
However, finding their presence suspicious, ticket checking staff asked for their tickets and discovered they had none. Following this, the duo was fined for travelling without tickets.
Sushil Kumar, who heads the thermal scanning team at the station, said they received a list of passengers one hour before the arrival of any train. “Once the passengers deboard, their details are matched with the list and they undergo thermal scanning,” he added.
If the passenger is not on the list, their ticket and photo identification card are checked, and the team makes a note of their details.
Senior divisional commercial manager (DCM) Chetan Taneja said a strong checking system was in place at all railway stations. “I will probe how the passengers managed to travel without tickets,” he added.
