Indian Railway Catering & Tourism Corporation [IRCTC] — Unauthorised / ordinary ticket travelers in sleeper class

Address:	Thane, Maharashtra, 421306
Website:	www.irctc.co.in

Dear Sir/Madam,

Date of Incident/DoJ: 31-Oct-2015
PNR No.: [protected]
Train no.: 12617 - Mangala Lakshwadeep S/F exp
Coach/Berth: S9/25

Description of Incident:
Inspite of recent IR notification, the habit of boarding of ordinary ticket holders in II sleeper class coaches still continues. More surprsingly and visibily, this continues with support of TTE’s on board.
The incident is as follows:
Myself had boarded from Shoranur Jn @1.10Pm. Then on at every stop, had observed this. Passengers were seen asking the TTE and the TTE was readily pointing them to S9 coach. From Shoranur Jn to Kozhikode and then Kozhikode to Kannur/Mangalore, there was no relief to us reserved passengers. One or the other passengers forcibily occupied the reserved seats. Some of them were sleeping and falling on others, some were found to be speaking loudly on their cell phones. Soon their were 5 passengers seating in my row and equally 5 + 2 children in my front row seat. Fed up of the rush, my 2 co-passengers (reserved) went up and rested themselves on the upper birth till Mangalore. Again 2 passengers occupied their seat and there was no relief to me or the remaining ones. Even more due to hot temperature, every one around were sweating and stinking. The Tea/coffee vendors too faced the problem of serving us. We couldn’t move or stretch ourselves as we were continuosly seating, of fear of losing our seat. The TTE just came, checked our tickets and left. Our pathetic condition was clearly visible to the TTE, but turned a blind eye. The TTE didn’t utter a word to the passengers bearing ordinary tickets, sitting on reserved seats/coaches. Neither asked them to vacate the reserved seat/coach nor fined them as per applicable rules. The passenger’s appeared to be regular traveller’s and were enjoying a superfast ride on a ordinary ticket with clear support of TTE’s. Its even doubtful the TTE’s are bribed.
The concerned authorities must understand that we long distance travellers, visiting native place abt twice a year, struggle very much to get a reserved ticket just to have a pleasant travel. But this is some thing which is very unsual and unacceptable. In mumbai division, no body dare to board long distance trains fear of heavy fine.
Desirable Resolution:
I urge the IR authorities to seriously look in to this matter and TTEs are well disciplined enough ensuring that such incidents do not occur in reserved coaches of long distance trains that too in superfast trains.