Karimnagar: TGSRTC Surprise Checks Find Driver Pocket Fare

Karimnagar: A ticketing scam was unearthed in the newly introduced electric buses of the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) during routine checks by officials in Karimnagar district on Sunday.

In the early morning, the RTC checking officials found fake tickets issued to 11 passengers aboard the bus from Karimnagar Depot 2. Each ticket, valued at ₹340 was sold by the driver who pocketed the entire fare.

Karimnagar Bus Depot-2 manager M. Srinivas told this newspaper that the scam was found at a time when drivers often assume inspections are unlikely. Further scrutiny revealed that the driver had issued tickets written on white paper or re-issued tickets to the unsuspecting passengers, an act that bypasses the usual digital tracking via Ticket Issuing Machines (TIMs) used in the OMS (One Man Service) model. Under this system, drivers themselves issue tickets without conductors.

Disciplinary action was taken against the driver as per the agreement made with the JBM Group and his services terminated. The vigilance and enforcement officials of RTC regularly conduct thorough checks to prevent such incidents, he added.

It is to be noted here that the electric buses operating under the OMS model are currently not managed directly by TGSRTC, but through a third-party arrangement with JBM Group. The drivers running these buses are hired and trained by the private company, not the TGSRTC. This outsourcing has led to limited authority for RTC officials over driver conduct, making internal enforcement and accountability a growing challenge.

Meanwhile, some officials alleged that allowing third-party drivers to operate without RTC supervision may compromise service integrity. As this is the first major case to come to light, authorities are expected to launch comprehensive checks across other electric bus routes to ensure no further discrepancies go unnoticed.