To stop train pay touts!

MUMBAI: At Kurla’s Lokmanya Tilak Terminus, missing a long distance train is no cause for panic. The train may have to travel more than 1,500 kilometres, and have 800 people on board. But it will come to special stop to pick up a single passenger, thanks to a racket that operates with the apparent official connivance.

If a chain is pulled to stop a running train without reason, an individual is liable to pay a thousand rupee fine or face imprisonment of three months or both. But at Lokmanya Terminus, a nexus of touts passing off as taxi drivers, can ensure the train makes an unscheduled stop within ten minutes of leaving the station. And their means are not crude: they can alter signals and open closed doors with practised ease, without fear of punishment.

Having learnt of this racket from DNA reader Sameer Goswami and other contacts, a DNA team carried out a sting operation on Monday, October 10.

The reporter bought a valid ticket and dashed on to the platform just as the Kolkata-bound Jnaneswari Super Deluxe Express left at 8.35 pm, pretending to have just missed it. He was immediately surrounded by touts trying to cash in on the desperation of a passenger who has just missed the train (feigned in this case). Conveying the impression that they are taxi drivers who will make sure that the passenger reaches.

Vultures have landed

Aditya Ghosh

We had the lead from a traveller who had narrated his experience. But we did not expect to relive the drama, step by step, and word by word. Lokmanya Tilak Terminus, Kurla, 8.30 pm, Monday: not a place one would long to be. While my colleague Anupam waited on the platform, I hung around in shady fringes of what has come to be known as the most anarchic and ill-managed terminus in the city.

As the Jnaneswari Express left the platform, I entered the station in a seemingly tearing hurry. I was carrying a confirmed ticket to Howrah (PNR 836-3348452, ticket no 12601011, AS6 compartment, seat number 49). As soon as I approached the attending TTE, he shrugged, pointing at the leaving train.

Almost instantly, three men materialised out of thin air. They literally dragged me out, claiming they could make me catch the train — but at a premium. We five — my colleague Anupam, I, and the three men — got into a taxi (number MH03-F8133). While one took the wheel, two others were busy making calls on their mobiles.

We feigned to be tense and asked if we still have a chance to catch the train, to be told casually that it was their daily business. I was assured that even if I fail to catch the train at the Vidyavihar signal, they would stop it at Vidyavihar station — only the damages will go up.

Every two days there is one case, we were told. “We have all the required ‘setting’ here,” one of them told us. If the signal man failed, someone will pull the chain to stop the train for me and open the door, which is supposed to be locked from inside, I was assured.

We reached the signal at 8.50 pm and saw the train waiting. I was helped by the two to reach the train while one person stayed back at the taxi with Anupam. As I was getting into the train, I was asked for Rs 1,500. A scuffle broke out with the two demanding more money. Thankfully, the train picked up speed and they had to relent.

But I was worried about my colleague as I knew these people will now harass him. Sure enough, I received a call almost immediately from him. He, along with our photojournalist Mukesh Trivedi, who was taking photos and following us on the sly, were surrounded by seven people now. All were demanding more money. Finally, they wriggled out of the mess.

Mukesh was stopped by local shopkeepers from taking snaps. “This is a huge racket and we will get in trouble with you if you shoot from our premises or terrace,” one of them said.

Meanwhile, I was surprised to see two policemen on duty inside the coach, who never showed up while the scuffle was on but now swore that they always wanted to help. Some of the coach attendants admitted the nexus between the miscreants and railway staff. The TTE, however, claimed that the train invariably stops at Vidyavihar to let local trains pass.

Why it’s not a coincidence

*The touts make calls on cellphone. Obviously letting someone know, on train or off it, that it needs to stop

*Train do change over to the mainline and slow down. Sometimes even stop waiting for a passing train. But in this case there was no train in the opposite direction for 20 minutes. Still the train had a red signal!

*Train doors to your specific coach open from inside. So, somebody on train has not only been told to open doors, but to open door to your specific coach.

*Most importantly, the confidence of the touts that they can stop the train at any point. Coincidence? Nah!