CHENNAI: For allegedly humiliating a railway passenger, a consumer forum directed the Southern Railway and the TTE to provide a compensation of Rs 15,000 to the passenger.
According to petition filed by GA Thiyagarajan, he travelled from Salem to Chennai in Kovai Express in 2014. At Salem, he purchased an unreserved ticket and requested the TTE to provide him accommodation in the reserved coach.
The TTE offered a seat and sought Rs 200 for which Thiyagarajan requested a receipt. But the TTE allegedly threatened that if receipt was required, the complainant would have to pay fine amount equivalent to the ticket value.
As the TTE had failed to show his name badge, Thiyagarajan filed an RTI application to gather all details and lodged a complaint with the Southern Railway officials who, in turn, initiated disciplinary action against the TTE. Thiyagarajan also filed a petition with the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Chennai (North) seeking a compensation of Rs 1 lakh.
Denying the allegations, the railway administration submitted that it had imposed a penalty of withholding annual increment of the TE.
However, the forum, considering the oral and documentary evidence, observed that the Railways, in the RTI response to Thiyagarajan, had admitted that subject to the availability of accommodation and with permission of the TE, an open ticket-holder can seek accommodation in a reserved coach. The departmental enquiry had also made it clear that there were about seven vacancies in the coaches on the said date.
Hence, the tribunal, led by K Lakshmikantham and member PV Jeyanthi, directed the Southern Railway GM and the TTE to jointly provide compensation.