Missed Your Train Due To Route Diversion? You Can Get Compensation Of Up To Rs 10,000 From Indian Railways; Know How

In a recent incident,  the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission of Chandigarh has mandated the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), Chandigarh, and the Indian Railways to refund Rs 477.70 spent on two tickets and compensate a city couple with Rs 10,000 for failing to refund their ticket money. This directive came after the train, diverted due to technical reasons, did not arrive at their boarding station in Gurgaon.

Incident Details

According to media reports Bhartendu Sood and his wife Neela Sood, residents of Chandigarh, booked two railway tickets on November 29, 2022, for their journey from Gurgaon to Chandigarh scheduled for December 13, 2022. The cost of the tickets was Rs 477.70. Upon reaching the station, they received a message on their registered mobile numbers indicating that the train would not come to Gurgaon due to technical reasons. Consequently, the couple had to travel to Chandigarh by bus.
A week later, the Soods emailed IRCTC requesting a refund. However, they were informed that refunds could not be processed as they had not applied within 72 hours at the boarding station. The complainants argued that being senior citizens, it was not feasible for them to apply for a refund at the Gurgaon station, especially as they had to rush to Chandigarh by bus immediately.

IRCTC and Indian Railways' Defense

IRCTC claimed its role was limited to providing access to the Railway Passenger Reservation System (PRS) and that it had no involvement in train diversions, which are managed by the Indian Railways. Indian Railways, in turn, stated that it had no concern with the complaint and sought dismissal of the case against them.
The Commission observed that the Electronic Reservation Slip indicated IRCTC had charged a convenience fee of Rs 17.70, while the Indian Railways charged Rs 460 for the tickets. It was undisputed that the train did not stop at Gurgaon on the specified date, causing the complainants significant inconvenience.
The Commission concluded that both IRCTC and Indian Railways were responsible for the deficiency in service. Consequently, the Commission directed IRCTC, Chandigarh, and Indian Railways through the Railway Station Manager at Chandigarh to refund Rs 477.70 to the complainants with an interest of 9% per annum from December 13, 2022. Additionally, they were ordered to pay Rs 10,000 as compensation for mental agony, harassment, and litigation costs.