Railways forms teams to rein in misuse of senior citizen concessions

Due to coronavirus pandemic, ticket checking in the moving train was suspended for an indefinite period.

Discovering misuse of senior citizen concessions by younger passengers, the railways has formed special teams to check tickets of passengers in moving trains.

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Several uneligible passengers have been caught availing of travel concessions under senior citizen quota by submitting fake e-tickets.

Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, only 12 special trains are crossing the Ludhiana railway station currently, with ticket checking in moving trains being suspended for an indefinite period.

But now, deputy commercial manager (DCM) Basant Kumar, through a letter to the senior DCM, has asked for special ticket checking staff to curb the illegal practice.

The DCM has asked the senior DCM to intensify checking in moving trains for the next 15 days, and also when passengers deboard.

Ticket checking staff have also been ordered to check tickets of passengers at the entry gate and allow only those to enter platforms whose tickets have been confirmed.

Kumar said young passengers were found travelling on senior citizen quota with fake tickets. “Passengers are also using fake copies of Tatkal window tickets. Besides, unauthorised passengers have been found travelling in workmen trains meant for railway employees,” he added.

On July 22, the railway ticket checking staff had unearthed a fake online ticket nexus being run in the city to dupe passengers boarding trains from the Ludhiana station. A ticket agent, Ravi, alias Bablu, of Kirpal Nagar was arrested in the matter.