Chennai: Austerity in government service is always welcome. But not like in Southern Railway (SR).
In refusing to do away with old tickets (printed with old denominations fixed a decade back), SR fuels regular altercation between its booking clerks, agents and traveling public.
From abuses to weird looks, the booking agents daily undergo inexplicable suffering for the fault of the commercial department officials at Tiruninravur who refuse to issue new tickets.
Following fare revision effected after over a decade in January last, the ticket denominations in suburban train service were reduced to four (Rs 5, 10, 15, 20) from earlier nine.
However, the commercial department officials in Tiruninaravur continue to issue old tickets till date.
For instance, a travel from Nemmelichery to MMC (moore market complex) has been priced at Rs 10 as per new rates, but the printed ticket issued at Nemmelichery reads Rs 7.
“The fare printed and collected are the same in nearby Pattabiram station like elsewhere, why should I pay excess money here alone?” argued Nirmala Devan, a regular EMU commuter to MMC from there.
Likewise, Tiruninravur commercial clerks have red flagged tickets to important stations like Tirupathi, Arakkonam, Tambaram from Nemmelichery station, again for want of tickets of specific denomination. Some two-dozen Tirupathi bound pilgrims were turned away for want of tickets.
Likewise, hundreds of regular travelers bound to Perambur Loco from Nemmelichery had paid Rs 160 instead of the stipulated Rs 85 every month till a few months solely because the booking agent there had no season ticket for Rs 85.
