Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Nov 15: The Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has penalised the Southern Railway and the Railway Board for charging express fares on a normal passenger train running between Karwar and Mangaluru Central, simply by renaming it an 'express special' without altering its speed, stops or schedule.
The commission ordered the Railways to pay a total compensation of Rs 5,330 to a passenger who was charged Rs 125 instead of the standard Rs 65. The significant judgement was delivered by a bench comprising president P Ganesh Ram and members R Ramola and N Lakshmanan.
The complainant had approached the commission stating that he travelled on the same passenger train from Karwar to Mangaluru Central three times in 2024. Each time, he was charged an express fare of Rs 125 instead of the regular passenger fare of Rs 65.
"The opposite parties, the commercial clerk and Southern Railway, running the train under the name of 'express special' without any change in stops, speed, timings, features and route of the normal passenger train and collecting Rs 125 instead of Rs 65 from the complainant is a clear deficiency of service and an unfair trade practice," the commission sharply criticised in its September 17 order.
The complainant, who appeared in person to argue his case, explained that the train operated as a normal passenger train before the Covid-19 pandemic but was rebranded as an 'express special' post-Covid. When he travelled alone from Karwar to Mangaluru Central in April 2024, the commercial clerk on duty issued a ticket for Rs 125 instead of Rs 65.
In May 2024, when he travelled on the same train with his wife, son and daughter, an express fare of Rs 440 was collected for three adults and a child. He was again charged Rs 125 when he travelled alone in August 2024. Despite complaining to the station master about the excess fare each time, no action was taken.
Defending its action during the hearing, the railway department argued that the train, which was a passenger train before Covid, was later upgraded to a 'special train' and fares were fixed accordingly. It contended that the Railway Board has the authority to declare a passenger train as a special train, which is an administrative and policy decision that the complainant had no right to question.
Outrightly rejecting the Railways' argument, the consumer commission clarified that merely naming a train an 'express special' does not give the Railways the right to collect express fares. "When collecting express fares from passengers, the facilities and features of a special express train must also be provided to them," the commission noted.
Pointing out that the Government of India completely withdrew Covid-19 restrictions on March 31, 2022, the commission observed that zonal railways run special trains to clear extra passenger rushes during special occasions. However, no festival or special occasion in the Konkan region lasts continuously for more than two years. Hence, operating this train as a 'special train' for over two years cannot be justified. The commission concluded that charging express fares for over two years without any changes to the train's speed, timings, stops or other facilities was wrong.
The commission directed the railway authorities to refund the excess ticket amount of Rs 330 collected from the complainant and his family. Additionally, the Southern Railway and the Railway Board have been ordered to jointly pay a compensation of Rs 3,000 for deficiency in service and unfair trade practice, and Rs 2,000 for the mental agony caused to the complainant, bringing the total compensation to Rs 5,330.