Steps to prevent irregularities in issuing of tickets through Unreserved Ticketing System (UTS) of Indian Railways

Steps to prevent irregularities in issuing of tickets through Unreserved Ticketing System (UTS) of Indian Railways: Railway Board’s instructions dated 15.09.2022

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA (भारत सरकार)
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (रेल मंत्रालय)
RAILWAY BOARD (रेलवे बोर्ड)
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No. 2017/TG-I/10/P/UTS fraud/Pt.

New Delhi, dated 16.09.2022

The General Managers, All Zonal Railways.

Sub: Steps to prevent irregularities in issuing of tickets through Unreserved Ticketing System (UTS) of Indian Railways.

Ref: This office letters of even no. 09.04.2018 & 31.07.2017 and CC no. 09 of 2011 & CC no. 12 of 2009.

Instructions regarding prevention of probable irregularities in issuing of tickets through UTS counters of Indian Railways or through authorized ticketing agents like JTBS (Jan Sadharan Ticket Booking Sewak) have been issued from time to time vide letters referred to above. Besides, in the recently issued STBA scheme (vide CC no. 04 of 2022) also, provisions for prevention of probable misuse have been incorporated. This notwithstanding, a case of irregularity by STBA in issuing of tickets through UTS has come to notice.

2. The issue has been examined and it is desired that with a view to monitor issuing of tickets through UTS and to prevent probable misuse in UTS, the prescribed guidelines including the inbuilt checks mentioned in instructions referred to above should be strictly followed by staff of all departments. Special emphasis should however, be given on the following:-

1. Misprinted tickets should not be issued by manually writing journey details on it and countersigning it.
2. Special cancellation/NI of tickets by STBA should only be allowed in rare cases, only after due examination.
3. ROPD and regular returns of all stations should be sent and CMIs should check the same on regular basis.
4. Supervisor/In charge of booking office should check NI register daily.
5. Repeated cases of Non-Issue (NI) of high value tickets by a particular booking operator should be reported by the supervisor/staff entrusted with the checking of the NI statement at the location.
6. Enquiry of any irregularity in issuing of unreserved tickets by any authorized agents should be conducted by a committee comprising officers of Accounts and Commercial Departments. The committee should also suggest the system improvement/procedural changes to prevent recurrence of such frauds.
7. Refund on cancellation of hand written tickets should be allowed only on exceptional cases only in exceptional cases with the approval of CBS. A record of such approval will be kept for inspection by TIAs and Sectional Commercial Inspectors. This record will also be countersigned by ACMs on periodical basis.
8. The provisions contained in Para 308 of Manual for Inspection of Station Accounts relating to checks on UTS tickets should be followed.
9. CCTV cameras should be installed in booking offices to keep a check on the errant and to enhance the level of accountability with monitoring and alert generation from a central location.

3. Necessary instructions may be issued to all concerned accordingly.

(Sanjay Manocha)
Director Passenger Marketing-II
Room no. 415-A, Railway Board
New Delhi-110001

Copy to: PFAs and PCCMs of all Zonal Railways to arrange special checks through inspectorial staff and ticket checking staff to keep a check on such irregularities.