Patna, June 15: Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has booked over 400 agents in Bihar for irregularities in e-ticket booking during its 15-day special drive.

Sources in Patna regional office of IRCTC told The Telegraph that the report has been sent to the vigilance department of IRCTC, which comes under Central Vigilance Commission. The drive was launched in the wake of several complaints being lodged by railway passengers for being overcharged during the ticket booking and also not getting a refund after cancellation of the ticket.

Source in IRCTC said: “The drive got over a few days back and 400 e-tickets agents have come under the ambit of the vigilance. Of 400, 40 are from Patna, they have been charged for not following the legal bindings, which are mandatory. IRCTC has received a complaint that the agents do not provide them the receipt after booking the ticket. Several times, the passengers complain about not getting a refund because in e-ticketing the money is automatically transferred to the bank account of the agent if the ticket is not confirmed. The same thing happens if tickets are cancelled.”

Talking about not getting the refund, sources said: “After cancellation of the ticket when passengers used to go to the agent, they were denied the refund because the agent asked for the receipt which is usually not given by the agent to the passengers. Also, if an outstation passenger books two tickets from an agent and only one ticket is confirmed, the waiting list ticket money is automatically transferred to the account of the agent. Even then, the passenger has to struggle to get his money back because at the time of the claim he does not get any receipt from the agent.”

Earlier, IRCTC had banned e-ticket agents from booking tickets under the tatkal system from 8am to 9am. The ban had provided relief to those who had to struggle to book tickets under the tatkal system because by the time their turn came, all tickets under the quota used to get exhausted. Most of the tatkal tickets used to be booked by agents who later sold them at higher prices to passengers.

Commenting on parameters used in tracking such agents, sources said: “We have got complaints regarding overcharging, bills not issued, licence and registration. All these agents have been found to be violating norms and a strict penalty will be imposed according to seriousness of their irregularities.”