Passenger associations allege corruption in selling of Konkan tickets

Every year, migrants from Konkan who work in Mumbai go home to celebrate Ganeshotsav. This year, the 10-day festival will begin on September 19. People have been trying to book tickets from May 16, as railway tickets can be booked four months in advance. However, it is proving to be a mammoth task

Mumbai: Almost four months before the Ganesh Chaturthi festival, Mumbai devotees trying to buy a return ticket from Konkan to Mumbai are finding themselves at a loose end. Passenger associations have complained to the railways that tickets are getting sold out within seconds, possibly on account of touts and agents who make bulk bookings.

Last week, the railways held a meeting with passenger associations, who stated that there was a need to keep a check on railway agents and touts. The associations claimed that during Ganeshotsav, the touts hoarded online tickets in advance, due to which passengers were not able to get confirmed tickets. (HT PHOTO)

Every year, migrants from Konkan who work in Mumbai go home to celebrate Ganeshotsav. This year, the 10-day festival will begin on September 19. People have been trying to book tickets from May 16, as railway tickets can be booked four months in advance. However, it is proving to be a mammoth task.

Railway unions and passenger associations said that PRS ticket counters were seeing long queues across railway stations in the city. However, getting a confirmed ticket has not been easy for passengers. “I was waiting in the queue at Malad railway station since 7.15am. By the time my number came after three hours, I was told that even waitlisted tickets were sold out. Tickets for Konkan vanished in a matter of minutes,” said Sanjay P, who is going to Konkan for Ganesh Chaturthi.

Last week, the railways held a meeting with passenger associations, who stated that there was a need to keep a check on railway agents and touts. The associations claimed that during Ganeshotsav, the touts hoarded online tickets in advance, due to which passengers were not able to get confirmed tickets.

Yashwant Jadyar, secretary of the Vasai-Sawantwadi Railway Passengers Association, said that 30 to 35 percent of Mumbai’s population from the Konkan region lived in Vasai-Virar, Kalyan-Dombivli, Thane and Navi Mumbai. “Despite standing in queues from the night before, they don’t get confirmed tickets,” said Jadyar. “The reservation window opens at 8 am, and the situation is such that even the second person in the queue doesn’t get a ticket. How can tickets get booked so quickly? We have asked the railways to keep a check on suspicious activities around ticket booking.”

A train ticket from Mumbai to Sawantwadi costs ₹260 to ₹270, while the bus fare for a State Transport bus from Borivali to Kankavali is around ₹1,200. For a family with several members, train tickets are more affordable.

The railways claim that they are planning to announce more special trains for the Ganpati festival to ease the situation. “As far as ticketing is concerned, it’s a well-defined system without manual intervention,” said a senior official from Konkan Railway. “The first day of ticket-booking back to Mumbai saw a wait list of up to 1,500 due to excess demand. This will ease out in the coming days. However, in case there is any wrongdoing by agents, we will investigate.”