PUNE: If you have booked or have been thinking of booking a train ticket through an agent, then be cautious. Your ticket can be cancelled at any time without a refund. The screws are being tightened on rail agents under the ‘Operation Thunder 2’ being held across the country.
The Railway Protection Force (RPF) conducted Operation Thunder 2 on August 22. They conducted raids and search operations at various locations, especially on the premises of private travel agencies and PRS centres in all five divisions of Central Railway viz. Mumbai, Pune, Solapur, Bhusaval and Nagpur.
The RPF of Pune division has solved seven cases including Pune city, Chinchwad, Sangli, Hadapsar, Khadki, Loni and Dehu Road. Under Operation Thunder 2, action is taken against the unauthorised business of e-tickets in Pune division. Earlier, in June this year, the same operation was conducted and seven cases were solved.
The RPF of Pune division has arrested seven people including a women. Rs 1,73,674 from sale of 76 tickets as well as laptop computer and printers were seized.
“As per order of Arun Kumar, DG RPF New Delhi, RPF Pune conducted drives under Operation Thunder 2 in various places against unauthorised railway ticket agents,” said BK Makraria, Assistant Security Commissioner of Pune RPF.
“Five teams were involved in the operation, who searched various places at same time. All seven people have been produced before Railway court and action has been taken under Railway Act 143. We request all passengers to procure tickets only from recognised railway reservation counter/online to avoid inconvenience,” said Makraria.
“A detailed work plan was prepared after collecting indulgence about the activities of these suspected agents. It was decided to conduct raids all over the country on the same time. Field officers were instructed to verify the information before raids,” said a reliable RPF source.
