Email
Print
ShareMumbai: I want to bring to light the issue concerning the harassment by train ticket examiners (TTEs) on the western railway line. On October 26, I was heading from Borivli to Bandra for some work, along with my sister. At Borivli station, between platform one and seven, there is a coupon vending machine (CVM).
We punched coupons worth Rs6 each after confirming the fare with a police constable and a commuter, since there was no fare list above the machine or in the vicinity.
On disembarking at Bandra station platform two, TTE SS Navar (badge no 0740) hauled us for incorrect travel fare. He asked us to pay a penalty of Rs254, because the correct fare was Rs7 and we had punched coupons worth Rs6.
He took us to the office and along with another TTE blamed us and said that it was our mistake and we should have suggested that the Borivli railway office put up the fare list. After arguing for an hour, we had to cough up a sum of Rs254 due to the negligence of the railway administration.
We appealed to the head of the Bandra railway station who claimed that we could seek a refund, after giving us the receipt, if we could prove that we had not done anything wrong. Then they got on the phone with authorities at Borivli station and got to know that the fare list was actually missing.
When we asked for the procedure to claim refund, we got a shock. They asked us to go to Churchgate office and meet a senior official with a copy of the ticket and penalty receipt.The railway administration may claim that they are marching into the 21st century, but their procedures are antediluvian.
