On June 4, City Express reported on how Railway Protection Force (RPF) had swung into action by slamming brakes on the free run of touts at all major train ticket counters in Bangalore. Subsequent to this drive by the RPF, touts have now turned to places like Chennai and Tumkur to operate their 'businesses' from.
Speaking to City Express, S Louis Amuthan, senior divisional security commissioner of RPF, Bangalore Division (SBC), South Western Railway (SWR) said, “Regular inspections by our teams have led to loss of business for touts in Bangalore. We have now found that they are moving away from the jurisdictional limits of Bangalore city to operate from. We will be conducting raids at offices of these agencies to put a permanent end to their touting of tickets.”
This year, RPF has laid a special emphasis on ending the menace of touts that had been spreading in the city for many years. An exclusive team comprising RPF personnel from Bangalore division was formed earlier this year. Besides, the authorities also claim that they have been working hard to break the nexus between touts and some Railway officials.
The campaign has also brought up cases of bullying by the authorities. A source from the RPF reveals, “A travel agent, allegedly a tout, has filed a complaint against RPF officials for unnecessarily harassing him and passengers at ticket counters.”
Apparently, this agent was caught with 38 rail tickets on him. Amuthan brushes off the accusations as baseless. He says,“Our officials collate feedback from passengers as a means to involve them in drives against touts. The information collected helps me analyse passenger response to our efforts.”