The Ernakulam District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has ruled in favor of a passenger, directing the Indian Railways to compensate him with Rs 60,000 due to a 13-hour delay experienced on the Chennai-Alappuzha Express. The complainant, Karthik Mohan, a deputy manager at a multinational company in Chennai, had booked a ticket for a crucial meeting in Ernakulam on May 6, 2018. However, the train (no. 22640) was significantly delayed, causing disruptions to his plans and distress to numerous passengers, including NEET candidates and their parents.
Mohan argued that if the railway authorities had communicated the delay in advance, passengers could have made alternative arrangements. He initially sought a compensation of Rs 5 lakh from the railway authorities, alleging a deficiency in service. In response, the Railways explained that it operates trains based on pre-planned schedules, accounting for various factors such as train paths, station timings, passenger demand, and unforeseen circumstances like track maintenance or signal failures.
In this instance, the train was rescheduled due to the late arrival of its pairing train (no. 22639), leading to the significant delay. The Railways cited the diversion of the train through Villupuram and Katpadi, which was necessitated by yard remodelling work at Arakkonam in the Chennai Division for safety reasons. It claimed to have sent SMS notifications to all reserved passengers to inform them of the delay and suggest alternative transportation options. However, the commission found the Railways to have shown “serious deficiency in service,” acknowledging the complainant’s substantial inconvenience, mental distress, hardships, and financial losses due to the Railways’ negligence. The ruling underscores the importance of accountability for institutions crucial to a nation’s connectivity and economy.
Post Your Comments