Special drive to be undertaken for identification of unlicensed and illegal travel agents: Mohali DC

Special drive to be undertaken for identification of unlicensed and illegal travel agents: Mohali DC

Harshabab Sidhu
Nabaz-e-Punjab, Mohali, October 23:
A special drive for identification of unlicensed and illegal travel agents shall be undertaken by all SDMs and the area DSPs in the District, informed Deputy Commissioner Girish Dayalan.
He informed that all the complaints received against the travel consultancies/agencies shall be dealt with strictly in accordance with the law and any violations of the law shall be immediately reported to his office for penal action against the wrongdoers.
In wake of complaints being received against the licensed travel agents and the unlicensed travel agents of cheating, fraud etc with the citizens, a Sub-divisional Committees have already been constituted. The nomenclature of the Committee includes Sub Divisional Magistrate, Kharar/ Mohali/ Derabassi, Deputy Superintendent of Police of the Sub Division, Assistant Commissioner, MC Mohali (in case of Mohali Sub Division), EO of the concerned MC and the Labour Inspector of the concerned Sub Division.
The Committees have been directed to deal with the complaints expeditiously and bring about an effective resolution through proper inter-agency coordination. Wherever deemed appropriate, criminal action as prescribed under the Punjab Travel Professionals Regulation Act and Rules, 2014 shall be initiated against the wrongdoers at the instance of the Committee, informed Dayalan.
The defined offences and penalties entail imprisonment for a period not less than three years, which may extend to seven years along with fine which may extend to five lakh rupees as per the provisions of the Act/Rules.
Pertinently, the Punjab Travel Professionals Regulation Act and Rules, 2014 provides for the regulation of the activities of travel agents with a view to check and curb illegal and fraudulent activities, and malpractices including human smuggling in the state.
The office of Deputy Commissioner is authorized to issue licenses to eligible applicants as travel agents under the Act. Accordingly, the licenses to the eligible applicants have been issued by the DC office and a list of the registered licensees has been uploaded on the district website: www.sasnagar.nic.in.