Jemsheed Thaikkat, a Bengaluru-based techie from Malappuram, successfully sued Indian Railways and won Rs 30,000 in compensation for failing to remove ticketless passengers from his reserved berth during an overnight journey. The Malappuram District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission ordered Railways to pay Rs 25,000 for “deficiency in service” and Rs 5,000 for legal expenses. The incident occurred on April 25 when Jemsheed boarded the Yesvantpur-Kannur Express, only to find five unreserved passengers occupying his berth. Despite seeking help from the Railway Police and using the Rail Madad app, the issue remained unresolved.
Techie Wins Legal Battle Against Railways Over Deficient Service and Tatkal Ticket Practices
Jemsheed, an experienced traveller, spent the night standing. Upon reaching Tirur the next day, he filed complaints with the station master, IRCTC, and the respective Railway divisions. With no response from Railways, he approached the Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in August, initially seeking Rs 4 lakh in compensation. Railways failed to attend multiple hearings, and the commission rejected their argument, stating it was their responsibility to ensure a safe and convenient journey for passengers with reserved tickets.
The commission highlighted Railways’ failure to address complaints properly, ruling that this amounted to a deficiency in service and unfair trade practices. Jemsheed also raised concerns about the practice of issuing waitlisted Tatkal tickets, which often remain unconfirmed. He criticized Railways for charging hefty cancellation fees for these tickets, which passengers would not have bought if they knew there were no available seats. According to RTI data, Railways earned Rs 6,113.80 crore from cancellation charges over four years, with Rs 1,229.85 crore coming from cancelled waitlisted tickets.
Jemsheed Proposes Fix for Tatkal Ticket Issues, Plans Further Legal Action
Jemsheed, a mechanical engineer turned software developer, proposed that a simple software tweak could prevent the sale of unavailable Tatkal tickets and eliminate unnecessary charges. Despite the court ruling in his favour, Railways has yet to pay the compensation, and Jemsheed is planning further legal action, continuing to advocate for accountability in the railway system.
