3 weeks ago
Flood-hit passenger wins refund, Rs 25,000 from South Central Railway
A senior citizen in India bought train tickets for a trip to visit temples.
The train was cancelled because of heavy floods in Tamil Nadu.
He could not go on his trip or use his tickets.
When he came home, he asked the railway for his money back.
The railway said no because he did not ask fast enough.
But he was stuck far away because of the floods, so he could not ask on time.
A special court that helps customers with problems looked at his case.
The court said the railway's rules did not talk about floods, so it was unfair to be so strict.
The court told the railway to give back the ticket money and pay extra money for the trouble.
The railway must pay everything within 45 days.
A Telangana consumer commission ordered South Central Railway to refund Rs 5,955 and pay compensation over a denied refund claim.
The senior citizen's AC three-tier tickets were booked in December 2023 for journeys between Melmaruvathur, Tirunelveli and Chennai.
The train was cancelled due to heavy rains and floods in Tamil Nadu, preventing the passenger from using his onward and return tickets.
The Railways rejected the refund as not sought within prescribed deadlines, but the commission found those rules did not cover natural calamities.
The commission called the railway's approach 'inhumane' and ordered Rs 15,000 for mental agony and Rs 10,000 in litigation costs within 45 days.
- Who
- A senior citizen from Telangana and the South Central Railway; the case was decided by a Telangana consumer commission president Chitneni Latha Kumari and members Madhavi Sasankota and Kathyayani Khandavilli.
- What
- The commission ordered the railway to refund a cancelled train fare and pay compensation after the passenger's refund claim was denied.
- Where
- Telangana, with the cancelled journey covering Melmaruvathur, Tirunelveli and Chennai in Tamil Nadu, and the passenger returning to Hyderabad.
- When
- The tickets were booked and the train cancelled in December 2023 due to floods; the ruling date is not specified in the article.
- Why
- Because the train was cancelled due to heavy rains and floods, a natural calamity, and the commission found the rigid refund deadlines did not apply and were 'inhumane' for a stranded senior citizen.
Passenger Rights
Railway Procedures
Refund deadlines for flood-cancelled trains
Passenger Rights
Passengers stranded by a natural calamity cannot be expected to meet rigid refund deadlines; their priority is finding safe passage home, and rules should accommodate such unforeseen situations.
Railway Procedures
The Railways argued the complainant failed to surrender the tickets within the time stipulated under the Railway Board's refund rules and could have approached any reservation counter within the South Central Railway zone for cancellation.
Key facts
- Refund amount
- Rs 5,955
- Mental agony compensation
- Rs 15,000
- Litigation costs
- Rs 10,000
- Total ordered payment
- Refund of Rs 5,955 plus Rs 25,000 in compensation and costs
- Payment deadline
- Within 45 days
- Ticket class
- AC three-tier
- Route
- Melmaruvathur, Tirunelveli and Chennai
- Cancellation reason
- Heavy rains and floods in Tamil Nadu
- Railway zone
- South Central Railway
Quotes
A Telangana consumer commission judge
Judge of the Telangana consumer commission
“Opposite party without appreciating the genuine request of the Complainant who has approached the reservation counter immediately after reaching home for refund, has repudiated the genuine claim showing wrong provisions under rule position, amounting to deficiency in service causing mental agony to the Complainant”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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