Rs 1 Lakh fine slapped on TTE by consumer forum

KOCHI: The Ernakulam Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has directed a train ticket examiner (TTE) of Southern Railway to pay a compensation of Rs one lakh to a family in Ernakulam for deficiency of service.
The forum, in its order on October 31, asked TTE Anand to pay the amount to Siya Joseph and her husband Tijo Thomas. As per the complaint filed by the couples in 2015, they along with their four-year-old child was travelling from Nagapattanam to Ernakulam in ‘Ernakulam Express.They had reserved tickets in Tatkal scheme and gave reference of Tijo.
As they had forgotten to take the paper ticket with them, the couple showed TTE the PNR details of the ticket in the mobile SMS regarding the allotment of seat numbers. But Anand refused to acknowledge this despite showing the driving licence of Tijo. The couples in the complaint alleged that TTE demanded Rs 6,000 towards the costs of the ticket or bribe him with Rs 1,000.
As the complainants told TTE that they did not have any money, Anand demanded gold ring or gold chain of Siya. When the family refused to succumb this, Anand abused them verbally. He even made the complainants and their child to detrain at Thiruchirappilly railway station in the night.
While Southern Railway told the forum that the passenger would have to carry the original ID card as a proof during the journey. If not, the passenger will be treated as a ticketless traveler and would be charged accordingly. It was mandatory for travellers to produce original Tatkal ticket and original Identity card, then only the ticket will be valid. The railway even justified the action of TTE detraining the family in the night saying the lady was accompanied by a male companion.
A railway official in Thiruvananthapuram division told TOI that the SMS received by a passenger on his mobile on the ticket booking and driving licence is valid for verification while travelling by train.
After perusing the original tickets of the couples and the bus ticket they purchased to travel to Ernakulam from Thiruchirapilly and hearing the version of the Southern Railway, forum president Cherian K Kuriakoseasked the officials to refund the ticket cost and also meet the cost of proceedings.