A consumer commission in Punjab has directed the Railways and the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) to refund ₹10,620 to a passenger who missed his train after its departure time was allegedly advanced without proper intimation. The Ferozepur District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has also ordered the payment of ₹5,000 as compensation for mental agony, harassment and litigation expenses, The Indian Express reported.
The commission held that passengers are entitled to timely and quality services and that failing to adequately inform them about a change in train timings amounts to a deficiency in service. The order was passed by commission president Kiranjit Kaur Arora and member Suman Khanna.
According to the news outlet, the passenger had booked three tickets for himself, his wife and daughter to travel from Madgaon in Goa to Hazrat Nizamuddin in Delhi on June 10, 2024. The tickets cost ₹10,620.
The complainant told the commission that his family reached Madgaon railway station before the scheduled departure time but discovered that the train had already left. Its departure had reportedly been advanced by two hours following a change in the timetable.
When the family approached the station master to find out what had happened, they were allegedly told that informing passengers about revised train timings was the responsibility of IRCTC.
The passenger further claimed that he had to purchase three flight tickets to reach Delhi after missing the train. He subsequently approached the consumer commission, alleging deficiency in service and unfair trade practices.
The Railways reportedly defended its position by stating that the train operated under separate monsoon and non-monsoon timetables. According to its submission, the monsoon timetable came into effect on June 10 and remained applicable until October 30 every year.
It argued that passengers were expected to verify train timings during the monsoon period. The revised schedule had also been displayed on station notice boards, announced through the public announcement system and published on the Konkan Railway website, it said.
The Railways maintained that the passenger had missed the train due to his own negligence.
IRCTC, meanwhile, argued that its responsibilities were limited to online ticket bookings and that it had no role in train operations, including decisions concerning changes to arrival and departure timings.
After examining the submissions and evidence on record, the commission rejected the arguments and held the opposite parties liable for deficiency in service.
It observed that passengers have a right to timely and quality services and should not be subjected to the “whims and fancies of the administration”.
The commission further noted that passengers cannot be expected to remain at the mercy of railway authorities and that the opposite parties were responsible for providing the revised train timetable and ensuring that passengers were adequately informed about schedule changes.
It consequently directed the opposite parties, including Northern Railway, Konkan Railway and IRCTC, to refund the ticket amount of ₹10,620.
In addition, they were ordered to pay ₹5,000 as consolidated compensation towards mental agony, pain and harassment, along with litigation expenses.
