The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission of Chandigarh has ordered the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) and Indian Railways to refund ₹477.70 for the tickets and pay ₹10,000 to compensate the couple. The couple had sought a refund after their train, which was diverted due to technical reasons, did not stop at their boarding station in Gurgaon.
Bhartendu Sood of Chandigarh filed a complaint stating that on November 29, 2022, he and his wife, Neela Sood, booked two railway tickets for their journey from Gurgaon to Chandigarh on December 13, 2022, totaling ₹477.70. The complainants reported that upon arriving at the station to board the train, they received a message on their registered mobile numbers indicating that the train would not be stopping in Gurgaon on December 13 due to technical reasons.
After this, the complainants took a bus to Chandigarh. A week later, they emailed IRCTC requesting a refund of the ticket amount but were informed that the refund could not be processed as they had not applied within 72 hours at the boarding station.
The complaint stated that “as the complainants were senior citizens, it was not feasible for them to apply for a refund at the boarding station in Gurgaon. Additionally, they hurried to Chandigarh by bus after receiving the IRCTC message.”
In its response, IRCTC stated that it merely provides access to the Railway Passenger Reservation System (PRS) through its server and internet connectivity for ticket bookings. Once a ticket is issued and the fare is transferred to the railways, IRCTC claimed it has no further involvement. Additionally, IRCTC noted that it has no role in the diversion of trains, which is managed by Indian Railways.
In its reply, Indian Railways asserted that it has no connection to the issues raised in the complaint and requested that the complaint against them be dismissed.
Upon reviewing the case, the Commission noted that the Electronic Reservation Slip indicated that IRCTC charged a convenience fee of ₹17.70 for booking the ticket, while Indian Railways charged a ticket fare of ₹460 from the complainants.
“Thus, it stands proved on record that the complainants paid Rs 477.70 to both the IRCTC and the Indian Railways for availing their service for travelling from Gurgaon to Chandigarh on the relevant date, time and place. Moreover, it is an admitted case of the parties that the train did not touch the station at Gurgaon on the relevant date and time, as a result of which the complainants had to travel from Gurgaon to Chandigarh by bus which caused immense harassment to them, hence both IRCTC and Indian Railways cannot escape from their liability, and the aforesaid act amounts to deficiency in service on their part, especially when the entire case set up by the complainant in the consumer complaint as well as the evidence available on record is unrebutted by the IRCTC and Indian Railways,” the Commission stated.
