Tickets Confirmed, Coach Missing In Amritsar Express; Railways Orderd To Compensate Passengers Forced To Sit Near Toilet

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): A case of negligence by Indian Railways came to light from Madhya Pradesh’s Bhopal, where the passengers received confirmed tickets, their seats were also allotted, however, at the time of boarding, they found the coach missing. 

Due to this, some passengers were forced to sit near the toilet during the entire journey.

The incident dates back to November 30, 2024. 4 senior citizens were travelling from Nagpur to Bhopal. However, they could not find the coach they were allotted. With no seats available, they had to sit near the toilet during the journey.

Passengers faced health issues

Complainant Manglesh Kumar Joshi said he had booked four seats in coach DL-1 on the Amritsar Express (22125) for himself, his wife, and relatives. However, when the train arrived at Nagpur station, the coach was missing.

When they asked railway staff, they were told there was no guarantee the coach would be attached and they could travel in the general compartment if they wished.

Due to no other option, the passengers boarded the overcrowded general coach. They faced discomfort and health issues, especially due to cold weather and asthma.

Joshi said he filed an online complaint during the journey, but received no proper response. Railway authorities only shared seat numbers without clearly mentioning the coach. No help was provided by the TTE or onboard staff.

During the hearing, the railways claimed that the DL-1 coach was attached and seats 1 to 4 were allotted to the passengers. However, they failed to provide solid proof to support this claim.

Railways ordered to compensate

The commission noted that the SMS sent to passengers mentioned only seat numbers, not the coach number. There was no evidence to confirm that the coach was actually part of the train that day.

The Bhopal Consumer Commission found this to be a clear case of negligence in service and ruled in favor of the complainant.

The passenger’s lawyer presented photos, affidavits, and online records showing that the coach was not attached to the train. As the railway failed to prove otherwise, the commission ordered compensation for the affected passengers.