As many as 252 railway employees and 116 railway touts were caught red-handed, indulging in reservation malpractices, during the decoy checks conducted by the Northern Railway vigilance squads between March 1 and May 17.

The Railway authorities have also apprehended 10 unauthorised travel agents and five passengers travelling on transfer tickets. They said action has also been initiated against 13 rail travel service agents under section 143 of the Railway Act. They were found to be over-charging and issuing tickets during banned hours.
The authorities have taken “strong action” against the railway employees who were found indulging in irregularities during the 602 preventive checks.
“Many reservation tickets made on fictitious names were recovered from these unauthorised travel agents. During the period, checks were also carried out on trains and five people were detected travelling on tickets reserved in the names of other (fictitious) persons. After introducing identity proof for the passengers, the practice of travelling on transferred ticket has substantially reduced,” said one senior Railway official.