Train Leaves Two Hours Early: Railways, IRCTC Ordered to Pay Compensation to Passenger

Passengers can seek compensation if the Railways fail to provide proper services, and a recent consumer court ruling has reinforced this right. In a significant decision, a consumer dispute redressal commission in Punjab has directed the Railways and the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) to compensate a passenger after his train departed nearly two hours before the scheduled time mentioned on his ticket.

The case involves Raj Kumar Puri, a resident of Ferozepur, Punjab, who had booked a train ticket from Goa to Delhi in June 2024. He was travelling with his wife and daughter.

On June 10, 2024, Puri booked tickets for a journey from Madgaon to Hazrat Nizamuddin, paying Rs 10,620. However, when he reached the railway station, he was shocked to discover that the train had already departed, nearly two hours before the departure time printed on his ticket.

Puri alleged that neither the Railways nor IRCTC had informed him about the change in the train’s departure schedule.

Passenger Approaches Consumer Court

Feeling cheated and inconvenienced, Puri approached the Ferozepur District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission. He filed a complaint against the Northern Railway’s Ferozepur Division, Konkan Railway and IRCTC.

In his complaint, he sought a refund of the ticket amount and Rs 1 lakh in compensation for mental agony, inconvenience and litigation expenses.

What Did the Railways Say?

During the hearing, the Railways argued that train schedules in Goa operate according to separate monsoon and non-monsoon timetables.

It claimed that information regarding the revised train schedule had been displayed at railway stations, announced through public address systems and published on the Konkan Railway website.

IRCTC, meanwhile, maintained that its role was limited to selling tickets online and that it had no control over train schedules.

What Did the Consumer Court Rule?

In Consumer Complaint No. 194 of 2024, titled Raj Kumar Puri vs DRM Office, Northern Railway, the commission, headed by President Kiranjit Kaur Arora and member Suman Khanna, held the Railways and IRCTC responsible for deficiency in service.

The commission directed the concerned organisations to refund Rs 10,526 towards the ticket amount and pay an additional Rs 5,000 as compensation for the mental agony and inconvenience suffered by the passenger.

Accordingly, the total amount payable under the detailed order comes to Rs 15,526.

The ruling highlights that passengers have the right to seek legal remedies and compensation when railway services fail to meet their obligations. It also serves as a reminder that passengers should remain aware of their consumer rights and approach consumer forums when they face service-related grievances.