Indian Railways assisted a family who missed their train due to not receiving a timely warning about the departure from Ghaziabad station had to pay. The consumer forum said that failure to make timely announcements constitutes a liability under the Consumer Protection Act. “lack of service” The decision was taken following a complaint by Anubhav Prajapati, who was travelling with his wife and two children.
The family had reached the station much before the 03:20 am departure of the Chhattisgarh Express to Jhansi. After hearing about a delay of around 40 minutes, they shifted to platform number 3 and started waiting. However, they saw the Ayodhya Express idling on that platform for over 45 minutes. As for their actual train, No further announcement was made.
Indian Railways Criticized for Communication Failure
Prajapati called the station master but found the office locked. He tweeted to the railway authorities at 05am but got no response. Around 21am, the family came to know that the Chhattisgarh Express had departed from platform number 06 and they were waiting on the wrong platform.
Indian Railways failed to submit a written explanation during the hearing. They argued that refund was not possible as the train was not delayed by more than three hours as per policy. However, the forum said Stating that lack of communication caused the family's loss He rejected this excuse. The authorities at Ghaziabad station and the Northern Railways were held responsible.
Indian Railways Faces Legal and Public Liability
The Commission found that both parties jointly compensated for the inconvenience and distress caused to the family. $85 compensation decided to pay. This case highlighted the need for accurate real-time information and staff accountability. Travelers rely on such updates, especially in the early hours or during delays.
The decision highlights the increasing regulatory pressure on Indian Railways to improve passenger services. Better coordination and clearer announcements can help prevent similar incidents. It highlights the need for Indian Railways to focus more on passenger information and service quality in its future operations.
