SCR ordered to pay Rs 15,000 for AC Malfunction in Garib Rath

21 Nov 2023 CW Team

The District Consumer Forum has directed the South Central Railway (SCR) to pay Rs 15,000 in compensation to a passenger, KVS Appa Rao, for the malfunction of air conditioners (ACs) and fans in a 3 AC compartment caused by an electricity failure. Rao, who had reserved two seats on the Garib Rath train for himself and his daughter's journey from Visakhapatnam to Secunderabad on April 5, 2023, experienced discomfort when the train departed at 8:40 pm.

According to Rao, after having dinner, they went to sleep around 10 pm but were awakened in the middle of the night due to suffocation caused by the inoperative ACs and fans. Rao promptly informed the travelling ticket examiner (TTE) about the issue, and the TTE, along with other officials, attributed the problem to an electrical failure, assuring resolution upon reaching Eluru station.

The train arrived at Eluru station at 1:40 am, an hour behind schedule, and reached Vijayawada at 2:30 am. During this period, passengers endured difficulties due to suffocation and inadequate ventilation. The train remained stationary from 4:40 am until power was restored at Vijayawada station on April 6. Despite Rao's attempt to seek compensation by writing a letter to the railways detailing the ordeal, he received no response.

Rao, through an RTI application, discovered that the power supply to the AC plants was unavailable due to non-functional diesel generating (DG) sets on the train. Seeking compensation, he filed a complaint, and the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission - II, Hyderabad, declared during the trial that "The failure of the AC and delay in traveling clearly shows negligence and deficiency of service on the part of the opposite party."

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