[Resolved]  Southern Railways — Number of Counters for tickets

I had to receive my old mother, wife and child from Erode Junction at 21.40 on 22 June 2009. I reached the junction to do so and found that there were four counters open and each one had at least 100 passengers or others like me queued up. On listening to the announcement of the train(2695-Chennai-Trivandrum Express), we decided to go up to the platform to receive the family, unable to buy platform tickets. On our way out of the station, we were confronted by a special squad of three ladies to whom we explained the situation. They informed us that it was our problem to complain and get more counters or a special counter for platform ticket and that it was their job to fine those on the platform without tickets. In spite o[censored]s requesting them to wait until another of our party to come with the platform ticket from the crowded counter, the squad told us to pay a fine of Rs.316/- for the "offence". The receipt issued by them was for excess fare ticket and not for the fine for not being in possession of a platform ticket. WILL THE RAILWAY OFFICIALS PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS MATTER AND ENSURE THAT LAW-ABIDING CITIZENS GET THE CHANCE TO CONTINUE TO BE SO AND BUY PLATFORM OR TRAVEL TICKETS ON TIME IF NOT IN TIME BY OPENING A SEPARATE COUNTER FOR PLATFORM TICKETS OR MORE CURRENT BOOKING COUNTERS AT ERODE JUNCTION AND HONOUR A LONG-STANDING DEMAND OF THOUSANDS OF PASSENGERS AND THEIR KIN WHO COME TO SEE THEM OFF OR RECEIVE THEM AT THE RAILWAY JUNCTION? Losing money is one only part of the misery...the shame of being an offender is more humiliating and we could be spared this state if the railways is considerate to heed to our woes and take action at the earliest. Of course, this has been an issue quite a long time and found its rightful place in the media. Die-hard fans of railway travel like me would be very thankful if a solution to this problem materialises.