Railways penalised for deficiency in service

According to the petitioner, M Varusai Iqbal (65) of Tirunelveli, booking a ticket under the online tatkal reservation system, he boarded the Anantapuri Express (16723) on September 13 in 2017 from Chennai to Tirunelveli. Despite having reserved an upper berth, he was subject to inconvenience as there was no ladder to climb up to take his berth. He also approached the TTE seeking an exchange of seats considering his age, but in vain. The passenger, finding no alternative, decided to sleep on the floor, but rat menace only heightened his agony.

After a long hassle in having his complaint heard, the Consumer Forum in Tirunelveli instructed the officials concerned to award Iqbal a compensation of Rs. 15,000 for having caused mental agony, besides Rs. 5,000 towards expenditure incurred in the case. If the order was not complied with within one month, six percent interest would be levied on the compensation until payment was made, Devadoss, the forum president ruled.