Court orders Indian Railways to pay Rs 30,000 to passenger for lack of basic amenities

AMRAVATI: The district consumer disputes redressal Commission in Visakhapatnam ordered the Indian Railways to pay Rs 30,000 as compensation to the passenger who suffered difficulties while travelling. The South-Central Railway (SCR) has been directed to pay Rs 25,000 as compensation and Rs 5,000 as legal expenses to V Murthy, 55, who suffered physical and mental stress due to lack of basic amenities.

Murthy and his family travelled from Tirupati to Visakhapatnam in Tirumala Express. He had booked four AC tickets. They boarded the train from Tirupati railway station on June 5 in 2023. When he tried to use the toilet during the journey, there was no water. Also, the AC of the coach was not working properly. Everything was unhygienic. Although Murthy reported the issues to SCR staff at Duvwada, no action was taken.

The railways argued that Murthy's allegations were false and that the family completed their journey safely using the services provided by the railways. However, the Visakhapatnam District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has stated that the railways are responsible for ensuring a comfortable journey for the ticket holders. The commission also accused the train of running without even checking the basic facilities.