Northern Railways has been directed to pay a penalty of ₹25,000 by the Delhi Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission for a significant service lapse. The ruling comes after a passenger lodged a complaint regarding being provided a single blanket for two unrelated individuals sharing a Reservation Against Cancellation (RAC) berth during a train journey.
The Incident and Passenger's Ordeal
The incident unfolded during a train journey from Prayagraj to Delhi in October 2022. A passenger, who had booked an AC coach ticket, was surprised when the attendant issued only one blanket and pillow for himself and another co-passenger sharing the RAC berth. His request for an additional set of bedding was denied, with the attendant reportedly stating it was the standard rule for one seat.
Following this unsatisfactory response, the passenger attempted to escalate the issue through various channels. He reached out to Railway Services via social media, sharing his PNR details, but only received a towel in response. A Travelling Ticket Examiner later refused to provide a complaint book, prompting the passenger to formally lodge a written complaint at New Delhi Railway Station upon arrival.
Despite these efforts, the passenger received no satisfactory resolution. Six months later, he was informed that his grievance had been forwarded to the Divisional Railway Manager in Allahabad, and a subsequent RTI query also yielded no response, leading him to seek ₹20 lakh in compensation from the Delhi Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission.
Commission's Findings and Penalty
Northern Railways challenged the territorial jurisdiction of the commission and argued that bedrolls were supplied according to established rules, with extras provided based on demand and availability. They also noted that linen services were managed by third-party contractors and that the matter was under examination by North Central Railway, Allahabad.
The Commission, comprising President Monika Aggarwal Srivastava and Members Rajender Dhar and Ritu Garodia, rejected the jurisdictional objection, citing the complainant's residence in Delhi and the journey's termination point. Crucially, the Commission referenced a Railway Board circular dated September 23, 2009, which clearly states that RAC passengers in AC classes (excluding AC Chair Car) are entitled to blankets and bedsheets, as bedroll charges are included in their fares.
Further internal communications revealed that Indian Railways had, in fact, imposed a ₹1,000 penalty on the linen contractor responsible for the lapse. However, this information was never conveyed to the aggrieved passenger, nor was any compensation offered. The Commission's July 10 order highlighted this oversight:
“The Railways provided one blanket to two completely unrelated passengers in violation of the circular dated 23.09.2009. Thereafter, the Railways imposed a ₹1,000 penalty on the linen contractor, but failed to inform the complainant about the same or provide compensation to the passenger. Even in the reply filed before this Commission, Railways are silent about this penalty.”
Concluding that Northern Railways was guilty of a 'deficiency in service,' the Commission directed them to pay ₹20,000 as compensation for mental harassment and physical inconveniences, along with an additional ₹5,000 towards litigation expenses. The total amount of ₹25,000 must be paid within 60 days of the order, failing which an annual interest rate of 7% will apply until the amount is realized.