The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) and the Indian Railways have been directed to compensate a couple for missing a train. The order is released by Chandigarh District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission for the tickets purchased by the couple for which they did not received any refund therefore the commission awarded them a refund for the expenses incurred on them as well as Rs.10000/- towards mental anguish.
The Soods purchased two train tickets on November 29th, 2022, for a trip from Gurgaon to Chandigarh scheduled for 13th December 2022. On that fateful day (13th Dec 2022), they received a text message through their mobile phones informing them that the train would not arrive at Gurgaon due to an anomaly in the railway system.
When this sudden shift occurred, the Soods had no choice except to travel to Chandigarh via bus. They then went to IRCTC to get a refund for their train tickets, but their request was turned down since they hadn’t applied for the refund within the allotted 72 hours.
The Soods argued that applying for a refund at the station was difficult for them as senior citizens. Additionally, they emphasized that the urgent need to travel by bus to Chandigarh after receiving the last-minute message left them with no time to file a refund request.
IRCTC, in their defence, claimed they merely provided access to the railway reservation system and internet connectivity for booking tickets. They stated that once the booking is complete and the fare reaches the railways, their role ceases. They further clarified that train diversions are entirely handled by the Indian Railways.
The Indian Railways, on the other hand, distanced themselves from the issue, stating it had no bearing on the complaint.
The Commission, after reviewing the case, pointed out that IRCTC charged a convenience fee while the Indian Railways collected the ticket fare. Since the couple couldn’t avail of the service due to the train diversion and had to incur additional expenses for bus travel, the Commission deemed it a case of service deficiency by both IRCTC and the Railways.
In light of the Soods’ unchallenged claims and the silence from Indian Railways and IRCTC, the Commission issued an order for the whole reimbursement of ₹477.70 for the tickets, with interest computed at 9% annually starting on December 13, 2022. In addition, the couple also received ₹10,000 in compensation for the inconvenience and emotional hardship they endured.
This case highlights the importance of passenger rights and the accountability of service providers like IRCTC and the Railways. It also underscores the need for a more transparent and customer-friendly approach when dealing with unforeseen situations like train diversions.
