Title - Train passengers at ‘mercy’ of agents

Amritsar: There is a mushroom growth of travel agents in the city as booking tickets is turning into a good business option for many. The agents charge commission from the passengers as per their whims and fancies.A resident of Mc Leod Road, Gurbhej Singh, said he recently booked tickets for Delhi in Paschim Express for his family. He said, “I had to pay Rs 60 above the original cost of ticket which is Rs 568.”He alleged travel agents had been charging above the permissible limits from passengers.Meanwhile, the railways have appointed Rail Travelers Service Agents (RTSA) to purchase tickets and secure reservations on behalf of the passengers. It has fixed the service charge of the RTSA, under first ACC/2-AC Sleeper/1ST Class/ AC 3-Tier/ AC Chair Car and Sleeper Class/ 2nd class, as Rs 25 per passenger and Rs 15 per passenger, respectively.According to the railway officials, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) Limited looks after the ticket booking and it does not have any official here.Another city resident, Amrit Lal, said his family members frequently book tickets from travel agents. He said there is no fixed rate that is being charged from the passengers for booking a ticket. He said it may vary from Rs 40 to Rs 50. “Rise in arrival of tourists over a period of time in the holy city prompted many persons to open travel agencies for booking railway e-tickets. The government needs to come up with a concrete solution to curb the menace,” he said.

He said in absence of any legal authority they were charging as per their will.