Allow us to buy tatkal tickets during morning hours: Agents association

In a bid to curb the activities of touts, the Authorised Rail Travellers Service Agents (ARTSA) welfare association has requested the railways to keep the tatkal ticket counter open for authorised agents from 8am to 10am.

In a bid to curb the activities of touts, the Authorised Rail Travellers Service Agents (ARTSA) welfare association has requested the railways to keep the tatkal ticket counter open for authorised agents from 8am to 10am.

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The railways had stopped issuing tatkal tickets to Rail Travellers Service Agents (RTSA) a year ago so that the general public could have better access to the tickets.

“The RTSA has dedicated two counters. Earlier, the agents would book lots of tatkal tickets in the early hours. This had upset the general public. So, the first couple of hours are now kept for the general public,” said a senior official from Central Railway (CR), on condition of anonymity as he is not authorised to speak to the media.

The RTSA members, however, complained that this move has led to an increase in the number of touts.

“We buy tickets on behalf of commuters by charging them Rs25-30 extra. Posing as general public, the touts buy tickets and extract Rs500-Rs1,000 from commuters. So, tatkal tickets should be issued to us,” said Dinanath, Mehrotra, chairperson, ARTSA.

The RTSA claimed that they have 700 members operating from various parts and stations across the country.