You need reservation even to travel in general compartments. This may sound strange, but it’s true. It’s a trade flourishing these days at Bangalore and Yeshwanthpur stations - selling seats in unreserved compartments to passengers in need.

All these activities take place right under the nose of Railway Protection Force (RPF) and the Government Railway Police (GRP).

On Tuesday morning, some people from Orissa wanted to travel by the Yeshwanthpur-Guwahati Express. They had bought tickets but could not occupy their seats as touts had ‘grabbed’ them.

Jagannath Mohapatra, a passenger, said, “We could not get a seat because it had been occupied by touts who were selling the general compartment seats and people were readily buying them.”

According to Jagannath, touts were selling seats at Rs 100 for the sleeper tier, Rs 60 for single seats near window and Rs 50 for bench seats. Some passengers had a fight with touts, but the uproar failed to draw the attention of an RPF man standing near a general compartment.

Jagannath says he wanted to go to Cuttack to meet his uncle who was injured in an accident.

“I hadn’t enough time to book a seat, so I decided to sit in a general compartment. Because of touts, I could not get a seat and I had to cancel the ticket,” he says.

Nexus

Kirodimal Bothra, a trader, said touts are very active in Jaipur Express and there is none to check their activities. He suspected a nexus of touts and RPF/GRP men. “Without their patronage, touts cannot operate. Certainly, they must be paying securitymen some share of their earnings,” he said.

When contacted, Railways spokesperson said the Railways had taken measures to control such practices. He said clear instruction has been given to RPF men to prevent touts from selling general compartment seats.

SECURITY DELAYING TRAINS
The departure and arrival of trains at the Bangalore City Railway Station are getting delayed. Why?

While senior officials say parallel trains coming from other destinations are arriving late, railwaymen associated with security claim that for the last one year, all trains - after arrival and before departure are Bangalore - are being thoroughly examined. As a result, trains are running late.

Sources claimed the checking of trains began after the IISc attack and the arrest of some suspicious elements.

They said they were checking every compartment of every train to ensure safety. Further, they said the Gorakhpur-Bangalore Express, which was to leave Bangalore for Gorakhpur on Monday at 4.45 pm, was delayed because the railwaymen were carrying out a special checking drive.

The Bangalore-Guwahati Express, which was to leave on Monday night, was delayed for similar reason.

A senior officer, requesting anonymity, said the Railways were not carrying out any extraordinary checking drive. “It is a routine exercise to ensure security,” said the officer.