The Thiruvananthapuram District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has ordered Indian Railways to pay a fine of ₹50,000 to a passenger. The passenger had a confirmed Tatkal ticket for a journey from Bengaluru to Kochuveli but spent the entire night standing due to overcrowding. The court found the railway administration guilty of deficiency in service.
What happened during the journey?
The passenger held a confirmed reservation but found the compartment filled with unreserved passengers. Despite raising complaints through customer service and X (formerly Twitter), the issue was not resolved during the trip. The passenger had to travel the whole night without a seat.
What was the court’s decision and the penalty?
The commission, comprising President P V Jayarajan and members Preetha G Nair and Viju V R, rejected the Railways’ claims. The court stated that the Railways failed to provide evidence that the seat was restored. The following payments were ordered:
| Description | Amount |
|---|---|
| Compensation for mental agony | ₹50,000 |
| Cost of proceedings | ₹3,000 |
The order mandates that this total amount must be paid within one month.
What was the reason given by Indian Railways?
The Railway officials stated that the overcrowding happened because the journey took place during four consecutive holidays of the Pooja festival. They claimed that the TTE and RPF cleared the unreserved passengers after the complaint, but the court did not accept this as proof.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why did the Consumer Court fine Indian Railways?
The court fined the Railways because a passenger with a confirmed Tatkal ticket from Bengaluru to Kochuveli was forced to travel standing all night due to overcrowding by unreserved passengers.
What was the total amount ordered to be paid to the passenger?
The Thiruvananthapuram District Consumer Commission ordered a payment of ₹50,000 for mental agony and ₹3,000 for the cost of legal proceedings.