e-ticketing scam worth crores unearthed, PRTC orders probe

Tribune News Service

Karam Prakash

Patiala, May 19

The Pepsu Road Transport Corporation (PRTC) has ordered an inquiry into the electronic ticket machine (ETM) scam worth crores.

Officials of the PRTC have already seized some records from the Bathinda depot, where the alleged scam was committed.

It has been learnt that some employees of the PRTC — attached with the booking branch — had allegedly been regularly ‘deleting’ the data of punched tickets from the ETMs. All this was happening in stationary buses at the stand, where tickets are issued before these leave the booths. The amount collected from the deleted data of tickets was reportedly not being deposited with the PRTC chest. All this is said to have been committed with the connivance of some senior PRTC officials.

The scam was unearthed when the PRTC, during routine checking, reportedly found some irregularities in the balance sheet. Thereafter, the officials found a docket (with data of ETM) in the records, which revealed a discarded ticket machine was being used at the depot.

Meanwhile, Surinder Singh, GM, Administration, PRTC, said, “We are doing what we can to retrieve the data to investigate the matter.”

Poonamdeep Kaur, Managing Director, PRTC said, “We have already ordered an inquiry into the issue.”

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