Nearly nine years after a delayed Rajdhani Express caused a Rajasthan couple to miss their flight to Kerala, the Rajasthan State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has upheld an order directing the Railways to pay around ₹69,000 as compensation.
According to reports, Kota residents Anil Kumar Rana and Anita Rana had booked Rajdhani Express tickets from Kota to Delhi in December 2017 to catch an Air India flight to Thiruvananthapuram. The train, however, reportedly reached Hazrat Nizamuddin station over four hours late, causing the couple to miss their scheduled flight.
The couple later booked fresh tickets at a much higher price and also incurred hotel expenses after being stranded overnight. They approached railway authorities multiple times seeking reimbursement before moving the consumer forum.
The commission rejected the Railways’ argument that delays can occur for operational and safety reasons, observing that passengers rely on official train schedules while planning connecting journeys and flights. The forum held that the Railways failed to justify the prolonged delay adequately.
The compensation includes reimbursement toward additional airfare, hotel expenses, mental agony, and litigation costs. Legal experts say the ruling reinforces that public transport authorities can be held accountable when avoidable delays result in financial losses and severe inconvenience to passengers.
