A complaint has been filed with the Criminal Investigation Department regarding a suspected conspiracy behind the rapid and irrational sale of e-tickets for trains traveling to Ella, a world-famous tourist destination in Sri Lanka. All tickets were reportedly sold out within 42 seconds of release.
Sri Lanka’s Deputy Minister of Transport and Highways, Dr. Prasanna Gunasena, highlighted incidents where tickets originally priced at Rs. 2,000 were resold to foreigners for as much as Rs. 16,000. He revealed that similar cases have been reported for the Colombo Fort–Kandy and Colombo Fort–Ella train routes, where tickets are being resold at exorbitant prices.
Addressing the Kandy District Coordination Committee meeting at the District Secretariat Auditorium on January 15, the Deputy Minister stated that this issue is unlikely to be a coincidence. He noted that every time e-tickets are released a month in advance, they are sold out within seconds. The Minister suspects that individuals or groups with advanced computer expertise might be orchestrating this operation. He stressed the urgent need to address the situation to prevent further exploitation.
The police stated that individuals who purchased tickets at inflated prices must participate in legal proceedings to facilitate investigations into such fraudulent activities. However, they acknowledged the challenge of proceeding with investigations when victims of ticket fraud are unwilling to come forward.
