Punjab News: Crackdown on Fake Travel Agents in Punjab, 52 Agencies Issued Notices

Acting on the orders of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, the Punjab government has intensified its crackdown on fraudulent travel agents. The district administration has issued notices to 52 travel agencies and IELTS coaching centers. Additionally, following complaints from individuals deported from the United States, the Amritsar and Tarn Taran police have registered cases against two travel agents.

Cases Filed Based on Complaints of Deported Youth

Harpreet Singh, a resident of Mehta, recently deported from the United States, filed a complaint against a travel agent. He alleged that he had paid ₹40 lakh for assistance in traveling to the U.S. but was deceived. The agent, identified as a resident of Ajnala, has been booked by Amritsar Rural Police, which is conducting raids to arrest him.

Similarly, Gursewak Singh from Tarn Taran’s Bhil Dhavale village lodged a complaint against a Delhi-based travel agent who allegedly cheated him of ₹45 lakh with false promises of facilitating his travel to the U.S.

52 Agencies and IELTS Centers Issued Notices

As per Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sahni’s orders, the Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) office has once again issued notices to 52 travel agencies and IELTS coaching centers. Earlier, such centers were given three notices over a period of 45 days. However, under the leadership of ADC Jyoti Bala, the administration has tightened its stance, issuing only one notice and mandating that licenses must be renewed within 15 days, failing which the license will be revoked.

So far, 35 centers have already had their licenses canceled due to non-compliance.

The Punjab Travel Professionals Regulation Act, 2012

The Punjab Travel Professionals Regulation Act, 2012, was introduced after multiple cases of fraudulent agents exploiting people came to light, including incidents where several Punjabis lost their lives in Syria.

Under this act, anyone running a travel agency, ticketing service, or IELTS coaching center must apply for a license from the ADC office. The licensing fee varies:

₹25,000 for a single category, such as travel agency or IELTS coaching

₹1 lakh for all four categories, including travel agency, ticketing, and coaching services

Applicants must submit residential proof, Aadhaar card, three years of income tax returns, and a registered rent deed (if applicable). Additionally, a police verification report and an SDM office report are required before the license is issued.

This strict enforcement aims to curb fraud in the immigration sector and protect aspiring travelers from scams.