Title - Railways to act strongly against ticket touts

The Railways on Tuesday decided to further streamline the Tatkal scheme, with a view to keep touts and black marketeers out of the system.

Minister of State for Railways KH Muniyappa, who presided over a high-level meeting of department officials, ordered officials to act immediately after recent hikes in airfare has increased demand for rail tickets. Officials at the meeting, convened to review the steps taken to streamline the scheme, decided to take stern action against those promoting or helping others in selling tickets in black market.

Around 15 lakh Railway tickets are being sold through 8838 passenger reservation ticket counters and the e-ticketing website through IRCTC, out of which Tatkal tickets constitute around 1.70 lakh.

The minister said Railways has taken a series of short and long term steps to increase online ticket reservation, as a result of which the capacity of its website would increase from the current 3.5 lakh to  five lakh bookings in four months time and would touch eight lakh in the long run. Both IRCTC and CRIS are working in the enhancement efforts, he said.

Member Traffic, Railway Board, Managing Director, IRCTC, Additional Member (Commercial) and other senior officers attended the meeting.