Hyderabad, Jun 30 (IANS): South Central Railway (SCR) has seized train tickets worth Rs 16.32 lakh during a special drive against touts and unauthorised agents.

To curb the menace of black-marketing of passenger reservation tickets and to facilitate a hassle-free journey for passengers, the SCR intensified massive special drives against touts and unauthorised agents at all reservation offices and travel agencies in major stations.

The Railway Protection Force (RPF) under the supervision of Principal Chief Security Commissioner, Inspector General of Police, G.M Eswara Rao, conducted special raids from June 22 to June 27 at various locations all over the zone. In this operation, 178 live tickets, and 1,886 used tickets worth of Rs 16,32,643 which were booked by the touts on commission basis were seized and 36 touts were apprehended, SCR said.

The drives are intended to save the passengers from black marketing of tickets and also to arrest the loss of revenue to the Indian Railways as the touts are carrying business without license from Indian Railways. The RPF is committed to take stringent action against touting activities, it added.

SCR officials requested passengers to purchase tickets from reservation counters and authorised travel agents only. If any person notices the selling of tickets by unauthorised persons, this may be reported to railway authorities, it urged.