Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh — The Ghaziabad District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has held Northern Railway authorities accountable for failing to provide timely information on train schedules through public announcements. The forum directed Ghaziabad railway station officials, including the station superintendent and station master, along with the divisional railway manager and general manager of Northern Railway, to pay ₹7,000 in compensation to a family who missed their train despite arriving well in time.
The incident occurred on February 29, 2024, when Anubhav Prajapati, a resident of Muradnagar, along with his wife and two children, arrived at Ghaziabad station ahead of their scheduled 3:20 am departure on the Chhattisgarh Express to Jhansi. After being informed of a 40-minute delay, the family proceeded to Platform 3 as directed. However, the platform was occupied by a different train — the Ayodhya Express — and no further announcements about the Chhattisgarh Express were made.
Despite multiple efforts to reach the station master, whose office was reportedly locked, and even a tweet to the railway authorities at 5:21 am, the family remained uninformed. It was only around 6 am that Prajapati learned the Chhattisgarh Express had quietly departed from Platform 2, leaving the family stranded.
Railways Offer Verbal Defense, Forum Rejects Lack of Evidence
While railway officials failed to provide written clarification, they attempted a verbal defense through their counsel, stating that no refund could be issued as per standard policy since the train was not delayed by over three hours. However, the commission emphasized that the issue was not about refund eligibility, but the failure of the railway to ensure basic communication with passengers.
The forum concluded that the absence of any documented evidence proving proper announcements had been made placed the blame squarely on railway authorities. It deemed the situation a “deficiency of service”, adding that it caused mental harassment to the passengers.
“The railway’s inability to properly inform passengers about the arrival and departure of the train, especially after indicating a delay, constitutes a service lapse,” the June 23 order stated. “The lack of response and inaccessible station staff further compounded the inconvenience.”
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Compensation Ordered, Officials Held Responsible
The consumer forum ordered the station superintendent, station master, divisional railway manager, and general manager of Northern Railway to jointly compensate the complainant within 45 days of the ruling. The judgment reinforces the growing expectation that public service providers, including government-run agencies, are accountable under the Consumer Protection Act for lapses in service delivery.
This ruling may serve as a precedent for other passengers who experience similar situations at railway stations across India, especially as travel resumes full swing following pandemic-related disruptions.