Bengaluru: Railway Protection Force intensifies drive against touts

Bengaluru: The Railway Protection Force (RPF) is conducting a strict enforcement drive against touting activities throughout the city. With the boom in railway e-ticketing, things have become easy for the city touts, while making it difficult for the RPF to nab them.

To nip all this in the bud, the department has formed teams that have been keeping an eagle eye on travel agencies in the city who are running the racket. They have booked several cases against them. In the month of July alone 20 cases have been booked.

Traditionally, the RPF used to visit the railway ticket counters but since the touts have taken on the internet, the RPF have changed their strategy.

Louis Amuthan, senior divisional security commissioner of RPF, Bangalore Division, South Western Railway (SWR) pointed out, “We have been sending our staff to pose as customers to nab these touts at certain travel agencies. During the raids, we have seen these agencies sitting with 3-4 computers with 4G connection to get the ‘tatkal’ tickets. Normally, the tatkal ticket charge is just Rs 10-20 more than the regular ticket. But these touts are charging Rs 800-1000 more.”

RPF detected major frauds in the month of June as well. In one of the cases, RPF along with its special team conducted a search at Bhavana Travels at Mamulpet and found that they were involved in the business of unauthorised procuring and selling of railway reserved tickets.