NEW DELHI: The Union government is considering barring private vendors and agents from booking train tickets for passengers, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal told Lok Sabha on Friday.

Replying to a discussion on the demand for grants of the Railway Ministry, he spoke about his ministry's crackdown on touts, including arrests, and asserted that private agents are no longer needed when most people can book tickets on mobiles.

Those who need help can go to "common service centres" which are run by government, he said.

The touts used to book tickets in large numbers within moments of their availability using certain softwares, he said, adding that his ministry has taken action against them.