Making Indian Railways' tatkal booking scam-proof: RPF launches Operation Thunder, nabs over 380 touts

Indian Railways is striving hard to establish world-class infrastructure along with providing superior services to its travellers across the country, but in extending seamless facility it has faced many bottlenecks including one of 'Tatkal' ticket racket prevalent across the nation. The Railway Protection Force (RPF) recently launched "Operation Thunder" to check this menace. Zee Business TV correspondent spoke to RPF DG Arun Kumar to the details. 

Kumar said "due to summer rush across the country, ticket agents have become very active. The RPF has collected information and launched operation against these touts raiding 141 cities and arrested over 380 culprits involved in the racket." He further informed that from the possession of these touts active live tickets worth 22-23 lakh have been seized and this may affect 40-50 thousand passengers.  

When asked about IRCTC security system, the RPF DG said this is a technical issue and IRCTC has been getting its software audited from time but hackers sometimes intrude into the Tatkal ticket system and tickets reach to agents. 

When asked about the involvement of insiders, or lower staff in the racket, Director -General RPF, Arun Kumar, said: "It`s a matter of investigation. I cannot share any details at this stage." 

टिकट दलालों पर नकेल कसने के लिए रेलवे का ऑपरेशन थंडर, देशभर में अबतक 387 टिकट दलाल गिरफ्तार।#IndianRailways @sameerdixit16 pic.twitter.com/X11TGSaXqY

— Zee Business (@ZeeBusiness) June 14, 2019

Notably, the RPF is also probing the role of insiders involved in the racket which runs into several crores, after seeking details from the commercial department of the railways about the real-time data of e-tickets. 

Citing sources, IANS report said that once the data relating to the booking of e-tickets and payment channels of various ticket agents across the country are made available, a clearer picture of the nationwide `Tatkal` ticket racket will emerge. 

Railway Minister Piyush Goyal has reportedly appreciated RPF`s investigation into the ticket fraud and has given the go-ahead to initiate action if any insider is involved in the racket.

Sources in the RPF reportedly said that a software, 'ANMS/Red Mirchi', has been seized from Kota, Rajasthan, which was being used to hack into the Tatkal facility offered by the IRCTC, which is now being rectified.