KOCHI: The season ticket holders in the state need not have to jostle for space in the jampacked general compartments of the trains anymore. In a major relief to the season ticket holders, the Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Kottayam, has directed the Southern Railway to allow season ticket holders to travel in the sleeper coaches in the respective trains during day time.
According to the forum, the order should be complied with within a period of one month. The Consumer Forum’s decision came while upholding a petition filed by Thomas Mathew, of Kottayam, demanding return of the money he had remitted for booking season ticket after the Railways cancelled the train without prior notice. The complainant said he used to travel from Kottayam to Ernakulam first class using season ticket for three months availed of by remitting Rs 2,930.
The complainant had obtained the ticket for the period from 19/02/2015 to 18/05/2015. However, the Railways cancelled the facility on 16/03/2015 without prior notice and without arranging any alternative arrangements for the passengers. The complainant had requested the opposite party several times either to make alternative arrangements or return the balance amount after deducting the charges for the services rendered so far. Though the Railways promised that the request of the complainant will be considered positively, nothing concrete emerged. The Railways maintained that first class coaches in the trains were withdrawn on the basis of the policy of the Railway Board. “As per the codal manual, framed by the Ministry of Railways/Railway Board, New Delhi, life of a coach is fixed as 25 years. The season ticket purchased by the complainant was not for journey by Venad Express or Parasuram Express only,” a Railways statement said.