BHOPAL: District Consumer Grievances Redressal Forum has rejected a petition filed against Western-Central Railway (WCR) over negligence and cancellation of train.
The Forum observed that train was cancelled due to non-availability of coaches in Bengaluru and Northern-Western Railway was not made party in the case. Rejecting the petition, the Forum said Bhopal Division cannot be held responsible for the train cancellation or causing in-convenience to passengers. The railways had arranged for another train and even refunded the fare of passenger who refused to board the alternate train, it added. Petitioner AH Ramchandani, a resident of Durgesh Vihar JK Road, stated that he had reservation in Rajdhani Express(2493) from Bhopal to Nizzamuddin on March 28, 2010.
On the destined day when he reached the Railway station an announcement was made that the train was would arrive on 21:40 hrs. However, at 21:15 hrs it was announced that train(2493) was cancelled. Passengers rushed to Station Master and lodged complaint. Since complaint book was not provided to the passengers, they had to write the complaint on piece of paper. The passenger termed it as deficiency in services on the part of WCR.
Complainant pointed out that train was to depart from Bengaluru on March 27,2010 at 20:20 but it never started from there and even then it was announced in Bhopal railway station that the train was on right time. The petitioner also case of GM North Vs Manoj Kumar wherein the National Consumer Grievances Redressal Commission had admitted negligence on part of Railways.
WCR advocate Rajiv Jain pleaded that the entire train is AC and since coaches were not available so its run was cancelled on March 27, 2010. And as the train was new, all computer data was not clearly available. Soon the announcement about the cancellation of the train was made and the Railways even arranged for another train. The passengers who wanted to continue their journey were sent by other train and those who refused, their fare was refunded, the advocate informed the Forum. Ticket was issued by IRCTCS and train is run by South-Western zone but none were made parties in the case. Bhopal division was not responsible for the responsible for the cancellation of the train and the damages thereafter, Jain argued. If train is cancelled due to non-availability of coaches, Railways is not responsible for damages, advocate added.
’Rlys arranged another train’
The Forum observed that railway arranged alternate train. However, it does not guarantee availability of seats in case of cancellation of train. In-convenience due to non-availability of coaches is not fit ground for claiming damages, said the forum.
