Indian Railway and Black market
I want to share a very interesting experience I faced yesterday night (17th Sept 06). I was traveling from Chennai to Bangalore in Mysore Express. Thanks to my friend Syam, for arranging ticket for me. When he called up and ask me whether I would like to go by bus or train, I was really glad to hear there was ticket by train. He told its Rs. 400 for train and Rs.500 by bus. Any way I made up my mind with train. Not only because that Rs.100 saving but thinking of a comfortable sleep. Before he dropping me there at railway station he reminded me to note that name of the person to whom the ticket was booked. It's a business of travel agency to do mass booking for train under different names and age and sell those tickets to the needy ones later. They will get a small 'profit' also. Actually the fare written on my ticket was 175 and I paid 400 to get it.
Not bad one huh? Any way I didn't want to spoil my journey thinking of the black market and exploitation of common by these agencies.
I found out my coach and berth number and settled well. The person's name to whom the ticket was booked is S Rajasekhar. Reading all 'Happy Journey' sms and 'Good night' wishes I felt very comfortable and thanked all my dear friends. Set the alarm for 4:30 I arranged my berth for a good sound sleep. Between TTR came and done his usual checking and verified the ticket and went. Soon I fell asleep and have a good night
I woke suddenly as somebody was pulling my legs. I saw a person standing asking for my tickets. Without any hesitation I gave my ticket to that person as he was taking something to my co traveler. He didn't look like a TTR.
Officer : Who booked this ticket?
Me: Excuse me?
Officer: I asked who booked this ticket.
Me: My friend. Any thing wrong?
Officer: what's your name?
Me : Sorry? Huh ..! Rajeshekar.. S Rajeshekar
Officer: your Official name?
Me: Same! Rajeshekar
Officer: Do you have any identity proof.. something like DL, ATM card something like that.
Me: Sorry, I'm not having. What's wrong with this ticket?
Officer: You are lying. Your name cannot be Rajeshekar. This is ticket is not a valid ticket and you'r not authorized to travel with this ticket.
Me: Sorry?
Officer : what's your name. Real Name?.....................I'm from a special squad. We had an information regarding black ticket sales.. so came for an investigation. All these tickets are booked from a single counter under different names at almost same time. You have to pay Rs.510 as fine and excess fare, if you want to continue travelling in this train. Otherwise we have to prosecute you in the next police station........
Shoot...!
As he was showing the slips of the 20-25 passengers who already paid the fine and explaining the things, my mind was having a ppt of my friend who booked the ticket for me and other good ones who sent me sms and wishes.
As I told my real name, he started scribbling in his bill book and tore the bill with the style of an expert and shown to my face and told : Rs 510. I searched through my wallet and realized and I don't have enough to purchase the 5x3 inch paper piece worth Rs.510. Bearing my experiments in dealing with Traffic police, I told him that I was short of some amount. I even told I didn't want the receipt, whether he can do some favour.
Holy shit. The polite officer went rude and threaten me for offering him bribe. That time I had to raise my voice and I some how manged realize that we all were cheated and its our situation made me to offer him something like that. He cooled down and asked me how much I'm short of. I said Rs.20/- He gave me some time to manage me another Rs.20 from my co- traveller, as Assame friend Rassak. Thanks my dear friend, even if Rs. 20 was a small amount, your help was worth hundreds more. He also paid the Rs. 510 fine just before mine. Prob when he requested to exchange my lower berth with his upper berth, I never thought he can help in some other situations. While folding safely the excess fare bill in my wallet I was realizing the only money left with me a coin of 50ps. Again Rassaq assured me some more help to reach my room the next morning. Laying on good old berth worth Rs. 910, I realized that that night couldn't offer me a good night or sweet dreams. But still I tried to forget and think of some beautiful memories in that weekend and tried for some sleep. Still that talk was going on,..
Officer : What's you name?
Next one : Kamal
Officer : Whats your official Name?
Next one : A. Kamal
Officer : What's this 'A'?
Next one: That A came as Heriditarty.. My father, Grand father...!(Interruption)
Officer : But still there will be an expansion of 'A' right?
Next one : Yes sure A for Anil, Anil Kamal.
Officer: Okay, Do you have any DL, identity proof to prof that you are A.Kamal
next: Oh Shit.. Sorry I was in a hurry, I couldnt take my...................!
The conversation continued....
Some Facts
This has been a big business for ages, this black market and ticket sales. But I never heard before about any squad or checking like this. So I was least bothered of traveling with a ticket purchased from a black Market. If you see some statistics we will understand the depth of this business. Even if I got the confirmed ticket it was in WL 220 and was booked one week before. So seeing the waiting list number common people like us won't try the effort of checking its status or cancel the ticket. We always go for other options like Buses or black market. Railway can't control these agents directly as booking of tickets is legal and selling is illegal. What railway can do is to catch the customers. Easy pray..! Threatening with words like police, prosecution etc in the mid night while traveling, nobody will try for a fight. It needs support from people like us and local police. But I'm sure reading this mail, my dear friends don't dare to buy a train ticket from black market. Please pass this mail to all of your friends who travels frequently and tell my story to the agencies offering train tickets. That way I think we can reduce this business, if people fear to buy black tickets, automatically this business will stop. I think my Rs.510 is worth more than doing this small effort, passing this message to all.
Let's fight against this..!
I want to share a very interesting experience I faced yesterday night (17th Sept 06). I was traveling from Chennai to Bangalore in Mysore Express. Thanks to my friend Syam, for arranging ticket for me. When he called up and ask me whether I would like to go by bus or train, I was really glad to hear there was ticket by train. He told its Rs. 400 for train and Rs.500 by bus. Any way I made up my mind with train. Not only because that Rs.100 saving but thinking of a comfortable sleep. Before he dropping me there at railway station he reminded me to note that name of the person to whom the ticket was booked. It's a business of travel agency to do mass booking for train under different names and age and sell those tickets to the needy ones later. They will get a small 'profit' also. Actually the fare written on my ticket was 175 and I paid 400 to get it.
Not bad one huh? Any way I didn't want to spoil my journey thinking of the black market and exploitation of common by these agencies.
I found out my coach and berth number and settled well. The person's name to whom the ticket was booked is S Rajasekhar. Reading all 'Happy Journey' sms and 'Good night' wishes I felt very comfortable and thanked all my dear friends. Set the alarm for 4:30 I arranged my berth for a good sound sleep. Between TTR came and done his usual checking and verified the ticket and went. Soon I fell asleep and have a good night
I woke suddenly as somebody was pulling my legs. I saw a person standing asking for my tickets. Without any hesitation I gave my ticket to that person as he was taking something to my co traveler. He didn't look like a TTR.
Officer : Who booked this ticket?
Me: Excuse me?
Officer: I asked who booked this ticket.
Me: My friend. Any thing wrong?
Officer: what's your name?
Me : Sorry? Huh ..! Rajeshekar.. S Rajeshekar
Officer: your Official name?
Me: Same! Rajeshekar
Officer: Do you have any identity proof.. something like DL, ATM card something like that.
Me: Sorry, I'm not having. What's wrong with this ticket?
Officer: You are lying. Your name cannot be Rajeshekar. This is ticket is not a valid ticket and you'r not authorized to travel with this ticket.
Me: Sorry?
Officer : what's your name. Real Name?.....................I'm from a special squad. We had an information regarding black ticket sales.. so came for an investigation. All these tickets are booked from a single counter under different names at almost same time. You have to pay Rs.510 as fine and excess fare, if you want to continue travelling in this train. Otherwise we have to prosecute you in the next police station........
Shoot...!
As he was showing the slips of the 20-25 passengers who already paid the fine and explaining the things, my mind was having a ppt of my friend who booked the ticket for me and other good ones who sent me sms and wishes.
As I told my real name, he started scribbling in his bill book and tore the bill with the style of an expert and shown to my face and told : Rs 510. I searched through my wallet and realized and I don't have enough to purchase the 5x3 inch paper piece worth Rs.510. Bearing my experiments in dealing with Traffic police, I told him that I was short of some amount. I even told I didn't want the receipt, whether he can do some favour.
Holy shit. The polite officer went rude and threaten me for offering him bribe. That time I had to raise my voice and I some how manged realize that we all were cheated and its our situation made me to offer him something like that. He cooled down and asked me how much I'm short of. I said Rs.20/- He gave me some time to manage me another Rs.20 from my co- traveller, as Assame friend Rassak. Thanks my dear friend, even if Rs. 20 was a small amount, your help was worth hundreds more. He also paid the Rs. 510 fine just before mine. Prob when he requested to exchange my lower berth with his upper berth, I never thought he can help in some other situations. While folding safely the excess fare bill in my wallet I was realizing the only money left with me a coin of 50ps. Again Rassaq assured me some more help to reach my room the next morning. Laying on good old berth worth Rs. 910, I realized that that night couldn't offer me a good night or sweet dreams. But still I tried to forget and think of some beautiful memories in that weekend and tried for some sleep. Still that talk was going on,..
Officer : What's you name?
Next one : Kamal
Officer : Whats your official Name?
Next one : A. Kamal
Officer : What's this 'A'?
Next one: That A came as Heriditarty.. My father, Grand father...!(Interruption)
Officer : But still there will be an expansion of 'A' right?
Next one : Yes sure A for Anil, Anil Kamal.
Officer: Okay, Do you have any DL, identity proof to prof that you are A.Kamal
next: Oh Shit.. Sorry I was in a hurry, I couldnt take my...................!
The conversation continued....
Some Facts
This has been a big business for ages, this black market and ticket sales. But I never heard before about any squad or checking like this. So I was least bothered of traveling with a ticket purchased from a black Market. If you see some statistics we will understand the depth of this business. Even if I got the confirmed ticket it was in WL 220 and was booked one week before. So seeing the waiting list number common people like us won't try the effort of checking its status or cancel the ticket. We always go for other options like Buses or black market. Railway can't control these agents directly as booking of tickets is legal and selling is illegal. What railway can do is to catch the customers. Easy pray..! Threatening with words like police, prosecution etc in the mid night while traveling, nobody will try for a fight. It needs support from people like us and local police. But I'm sure reading this mail, my dear friends don't dare to buy a train ticket from black market. Please pass this mail to all of your friends who travels frequently and tell my story to the agencies offering train tickets. That way I think we can reduce this business, if people fear to buy black tickets, automatically this business will stop. I think my Rs.510 is worth more than doing this small effort, passing this message to all.
Let's fight against this..!
posted by Bijesh at 2:23 AM
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