Latest news with #Hymavathi
Time of India
3 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Elderly couple wins 3-year-long refund battle against Indian Railways after being forced to miss train due to overcrowding
A senior couple from Hoodi, Bengaluru, successfully took on Indian Railways after they were forced to cancel a train journey due to severe overcrowding in their reserved coach. Despite holding valid tickets, they were unable to board and were later denied a refund. Following a legal battle, the consumer commission ruled in their favour, ordering a full refund and compensation. The case highlights what passengers can do when services fail, and where to turn when complaints go unanswered. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads No help, no refund, no explanation Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Losses beyond one missed journey Railways call it 'a personal decision' Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads But a letter from Indian Railways told another story Compensation ordered for financial and mental distress On 13 April 2022, Purna Ramakrishna and his wife Hymavathi reached Krishnarajapuram (KJM) station in Bengaluru to board the Guwahati Express. The couple, both senior citizens from Hoodi, had valid sleeper class tickets worth ₹892.5 for a journey to they never reserved S2 coach was packed. So was the rest of the train. With no railway staff in sight and the train halting only for two minutes at 11.53 p.m., they made a difficult decision — to return had already spent ₹165 on an auto to the station. But what came next was far multiple representations, follow-up emails and messages, Indian Railways neither issued a refund nor offered any explanation. The couple waited. They reached out again. Still no proper response, they filed a complaint with the Bengaluru Urban II additional district consumer commission, citing service lapses. The railways, however, failed to file a reply within the 45-day window. Their version wasn't forum initially dismissed the complaint on 1 July 2023. But the couple didn't give up. They escalated the matter to the state commission, which then set aside the earlier dismissal and asked the district forum to readmit the impact of that missed train went further. The couple's onward journey was cancelled. Only one of their e-tickets for the Kondaveedu Express was confirmed. This forced them to cancel both tickets and bear the cancellation had also booked return tickets for 21 April, which had to be scrapped altogether. The domino effect was clear — their travel plans collapsed due to no fault of their their complaint, they said they informed the railways after the train had left, expecting a Ticket Deposit Receipt (TDR) to be filed on their behalf. But this, too, was not its written response, the South Western Railway said the couple's claim of overcrowding was 'false and baseless.' They stated that 134 passengers boarded the train at KJM that night and there were no complaints — 'except from the elderly couple.'Railway officials said the train was fully reserved and that unreserved travel had resumed across the division after COVID-19 restrictions were response added that 'no issue was reported to the station master or RPF on duty,' and that 'no crowding was flagged by staff on board.' Railways argued the couple's choice not to board was 'a personal decision' and not the result of any service refund rules, they said that confirmed tickets were non-refundable unless cancelled or supported by a TDR filed at least four hours before departure.A key piece of evidence swung the case.A railway letter dated 6 May 2022, issued shortly after the incident, acknowledged a 'spike in ticketless travel' and recommended 'issuing unreserved tickets to curb revenue loss.' This, the forum said, lent credibility to the couple's panel ruled that 'internal records can't override on-ground realities,' especially when passengers are unable to board during a brief halt at midnight with no staff March this year, the commission ruled in favour of the couple. It directed Indian Railways to refund the ₹892.5 fare and pay an additional ₹5,000 for deficiency in service and mental distress. Litigation costs of ₹3,000 were also judgment underlined the duty of service providers to offer not just access, but support — especially when things go case sets a reserved coaches are overcrowded and inaccessible, passengers have the right to demand accountability. As this couple's case shows, persistence pays off — but it also exposes gaps in the defence leaned on technicalities. But the commission focused on lived that makes the difference.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
Elderly Bengaluru couple misses train, wins refund after three-year legal battle
Bengaluru: A senior citizen couple from Hoodi took on Indian Railways and won after being denied a refund for a train journey they never made, as their reserved coach was overcrowded and inaccessible, forcing them to return home. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The Bengaluru Urban II additional district consumer commission has pulled up South Western Railway (SWR) for deficiency in service and ordered a full refund along with litigation costs. The case, earlier dismissed by the forum on July 1, 2023, was challenged again by the couple at the state commission. The appeal was allowed, with the state commission setting aside the earlier order and directing the forum to readmit the complaint. The story began when Purna Ramakrishna and his wife Hymavathi booked sleeper class tickets on Guwahati Express for March 29, 2022, from Krishnarajapuram (KJM) Railway Station to Vijayawada on April 13, paying Rs 892.5 for the trip. On the day of the journey, after reaching the station by auto (spending Rs 165), the couple was shocked to find their S2 coach — and the entire train — packed with passengers, making it impossible for them to board. With no railway staff around to assist, they were forced to abandon the journey and return home. Despite several representations and email follow-ups, the railways neither refunded the ticket fare nor offered any explanation or compensation. Left with no option, the elderly couple filed a consumer complaint citing service lapses. Initially, the railways failed to respond within the stipulated 45-day period, and its version wasn't taken on record. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now After going through all the documents and hearing both sides, the commission observed that undeterred by their failed journey on April 13, 2022, the couple faced losses twice — first, when only one of their e-tickets for Kondaveedu Express was confirmed, forcing them to cancel both and incur charges, and second when they had to scrap their return journey booked for April 21 after missing the outbound trip. In their complaint, they said they informed the railways post-departure and expected a ticket deposit receipt (TDR) to be raised. But no TDR was filed, and despite repeated follow-ups, they received neither a refund nor compensation. However, the railways, in its defence, denied any service deficiency, claiming that the train was not overcrowded when it arrived at the station. In their written response, railway officials acknowledged their tickets, further stating the train was fully reserved and unreserved travel was restored across the division after Covid. Therefore, they argued, the couple's claims of overcrowding by unauthorised passengers were "false and baseless". The railways said 134 passengers boarded from KJM on April 13 with no overcrowding complaints — except the elderly couple. Officials noted the duo also didn't report any issue to the station master or RPF on duty, and no crowding was flagged by staff on board. 'It was a personal decision' In the court, calling the couple's decision not to board a personal choice, the railways denied any service lapse. It also cited refund rules, saying confirmed tickets are non-refundable unless cancelled or a TDR is filed four hours before departure. However, the railways' own letter dated May 6, 2022 had admitted a spike in ticketless travel and called for issuing unreserved tickets to curb revenue loss — a point the consumer forum said backed the couple's claim. Holding the railways responsible for the couple being unable to board the crowded train during its two-minute halt at 11.53pm at KJM, the panel said internal records can't override on-ground realities. It ruled that the couple faced financial loss and mental agony due to a clear deficiency in service, especially when the full fare was collected. In March this year, the consumer commission ordered the railways to refund Rs 892.5 and pay the complainants Rs 5,000 for deficiency of service, mental agony, and Rs 3000 as litigation costs.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
Elderly couple misses train, wins refund after 3-year battle in court
BENGALURU: A senior citizen couple from Hoodi in Whitefield took on the railways and won after being denied refund for a train journey they never made, as their reserved coach was overcrowded and inaccessible, forcing them to return home. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Bengaluru Urban II additional district consumer commission has pulled up South Western Railway (SWR) for deficiency in service and ordered a full refund along with litigation costs. The case, earlier dismissed by the forum on July 1, 2023, was challenged again by the couple at the state commission. The appeal was allowed, with the state commission setting aside the earlier order and directing the forum to readmit the complaint. The story began when Purna Ramakrishna and his wife Hymavathi booked sleeper class tickets on Guwahati Express for March 29, 2022, from Krishnarajapuram (KJM) Railway Station to Vijayawada on April 13, paying Rs 892.5 for the trip. On the day of the journey, after reaching the station by auto (spending Rs 165), the couple was shocked to find their S2 coach - and the entire train - packed with passengers, making it impossible for them to board. With no railway staff around to assist, they were forced to abandon the journey and return home. Despite several representations and email follow-ups, the railways neither refunded the ticket fare nor offered any explanation or compensation. Left with no option, the elderly couple filed a consumer complaint citing service lapses. In their complaint, they said they informed the railways post-departure and expected a ticket deposit receipt (TDR) to be raised. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now But no TDR was filed and no refund or compensation issued. However, the railways, in its defence, denied any service deficiency, claiming that the train was not overcrowded when it arrived at the station. In their written response, railway officials acknowledged their tickets, further stating the train was fully reserved and unreserved travel was restored across the division after Covid. Therefore, they argued, the couple's claims of overcrowding by unauthorised passengers were "false and baseless". The railways said 134 passengers boarded from KJM on April 13 with no overcrowding complaints - except the elderly couple. Officials noted the duo didn't report any issue to the station master or RPF on duty, and no crowding was flagged by staff on board. Calling the duo's decision not to board a personal choice, the railways denied any service lapse. It also cited refund rules, saying confirmed tickets are non-refundable unless cancelled or a TDR is filed four hours before departure. However, the railways' own letter dated May 6, 2022, had admitted a spike in ticketless travel and called for issuing unreserved tickets to curb revenue loss - a point the consumer forum said backed the couple's claim. Holding the railways responsible for the couple being unable to board the crowded train during its two-minute halt at 11.53 pm at KJM, the panel said internal records can't override on-ground realities. It ruled the couple faced financial loss and mental agony due to a clear deficiency in service, especially when the full fare was collected. In March this year, the consumer commission ordered the railways to refund Rs 892.5 and pay the complainants Rs 5,000 for deficiency of service, mental agony, and Rs 3000 as litigation costs.
