Despite the suspension of a railway employee at the Makumbura Multimodal Center (MMC) for alleged involvement in the railway e-ticket scam, the issue persists. Tickets available on the official website are marked as ‘sold out’ within seconds of their release.
According to the latest update, all online train tickets were sold out yesterday (18 January) in less than 35 seconds. Investigations have revealed that the suspended employee had allegedly started a private company under the name of a relative. This company reportedly booked large quantities of e-tickets online, which were then resold at inflated prices.
It has been reported that train tickets, particularly for popular routes like Colombo Fort to Ella, are being resold to individuals, including foreign tourists, at exorbitant rates. For instance, tickets priced at Rs. 2,000 were allegedly resold for up to Rs. 16,000, raising serious concerns about ticket scalping and fraudulent practices.
Suspiciously fast ticket sales have also been reported for routes such as Colombo Fort to Kandy and Colombo Fort to Ella, leading to growing doubts about the integrity of the online ticketing system. This widespread issue has sparked outrage among the public and tarnished the reputation of the Railways Department.
During a media briefing, Railways General Manager N.J. Indipolage defended the system, claiming that it is capable of selling all e-tickets within 42 seconds. However, critics have pointed out that such rapid sales suggest a coordinated effort to exploit the system.
In response to the growing controversy, a complaint has been lodged with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to investigate the suspected conspiracy behind the e-ticket scam.
Deputy Minister of Transport and Highways, Dr. Prasanna Gunasena, expressed concerns that individuals or groups with advanced computer skills may be orchestrating the operation. He emphasised the urgent need to identify the perpetrators and prevent further abuse of the system.
The police have urged individuals who purchased tickets at inflated prices to come forward and assist in the investigation. However, they acknowledged that pursuing legal action is challenging when victims are reluctant to cooperate.
