Title - Railways told to withdraw controversial circular

K.N. Balagopal, MP, has said the Railways should withdraw the controversial circular that empowers railway staff to “harass” commuters holding season tickets.In a statement here on Thursday in the wake of Monday’s incident at Paravur station, he said that if the harassment did not end, the people would be forced to react strongly.

Initiate action

He wanted the railway authorities to initiate action against those travelling ticket examiners (TTEs) and railway police officers who had confined season ticket holders in coaches of the Kanyakumari-bound express on that day. When the railways were issuing season tickets without any limit, they should also show the responsibility to provide facilities for season ticket holders. When most sleeper coaches of south-bound long distance trains fell vacant on reaching Kollam, the TTEs should not be asked to insist that season ticket holders be stuffed into a lone general coach.

The season ticket facility had been introduced to facilitate the travel of thousands of persons, including government officials, to their place of work.

They were not ticketless travellers, he said.