Railway complaint

Railways' ways=20

I went to the Sarojini Nagar railway reservation counter on the 18th of =

April to get a ticket for Pune from New Delhi for the 20th of April. =

Before leaving, I made sure from the Indian Railways website that there =

were three tickets left in the tatkal quota on Jhelum Express. But when =

my turn came, the person sitting at the counter told me that there was =

no ticket available on tatkal on that specified date and train. When I =

insisted, he said he would help out but I would have to give him a bribe =

of Rs. 100.=20

Since it was vital for me to get a ticket for the 20th and also because =

I didn't have the time to pick up a fight, I was forced to pay him of =

Rs. 100.=20

So apart from the service charge of Rs. 300 for a 3rd AC ticket, I also =

had to pay an "extra service charge" to this railway official!=20

I have heard complaints in the past about such demands for money made by =

officials at the Sarojini Nagar counter. Railway Minister Lalu Prasad =

who by all accounts is trying hard to provide world-class services to =

the passengers should also take note of such instances of corruption and =

impose strict punishments for such officials.=20

Manu Sankar S.,=20

45-A, Hauz Khas Village,=20

New Delhi.=20

Published in the Hindu dated 30th April 2007