Railways fined Rs 25,000 for giving just one blanket to two passengers on RAC ticket. The Consumer Commission termed this a deficiency in service, saying every RAC passenger is entitled to full bedroll.
New Delhi: Giving just one blanket to two passengers traveling on RAC tickets proved costly for Indian Railways. A Consumer Commission of Delhi has imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 on the Railways in this case. The Commission has considered this as serious negligence in the service of Railways. This case is of October 2022, when two passengers were traveling from Prayagraj to Delhi.
The train staff gave a blanket, a pillow and two bedsheets to two unknown passengers traveling on the same RAC ticket. When a passenger asked for another blanket, the attendant refused. He said that as per the rules, only one blanket, one pillow and two bedsheets are given per seat. After this the passenger asked for the complaint book from the TTE, but the TTE refused to give that too.
While hearing the passenger’s complaint, the commission cited a 2009 circular of the Railway Board. The Commission clarified that bedroll charges are levied along with the ticket from RAC passengers in AC class also. Therefore, they also have every right to get complete bedroll (which includes blanket, pillow, bedsheet). The commission has ordered Rs 20,000 as compensation for the mental distress and physical inconvenience caused to the passenger and Rs 5,000 for the expenses of fighting the case. In this way, Railways will have to pay a total of Rs 25,000.