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Railways Minister Sheikh Robiul Alam
Curbing the resale of online train tickets at inflated prices remains difficult once they are purchased, Road Transport, Railways, and Shipping Minister Sheikh Robiul Alam has stated. He noted that authorities are working to identify individuals involved in ticket scalping while evaluating whether new software mechanisms can be integrated into the ticketing system to curb black marketing.
The minister made the remarks on Monday night (October 26) while addressing reporters at Kamalapur Railway Station during the inaugural ceremony extending the Mohanagar Express route to Cox's Bazar.
Explaining the operational strain, the minister stated that millions of people attempt to access the online ticketing portal simultaneously, creating intense traffic that leaves many regular passengers unable to secure seats. During peak Eid travel, between 3.6 and 3.7 million people often vie for just 32,000 available tickets per day.
He noted that a single passenger can purchase up to four tickets, meaning a coordinated group of ten people can obtain 40 tickets, which are subsequently resold at exorbitant prices. Preventing person-to-person handoffs after tickets are legitimately purchased online presents a significant enforcement challenge.
The minister added that the ticketing portal functions on a first-come, first-served basis. Formal inquiries into past complaints did not uncover systemic irregularities within the online sales process itself. However, acknowledging that the system is not entirely flawless, he affirmed that technical shortcomings are being addressed in phases.
https://thedailyexpress.news/news/national/1f1d158f-0a9c-60a0-918d-a273d12a7218