The Hindu : Kerala News : Revamp emergency quota system in trains: tribunal

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Monday, Nov 05, 2007
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Kerala

Revamp emergency quota system in trains: tribunal

Special Correspondent

Awards compensation to four passengers

Kochi: The Railway Claims Tribunal, Ernakulam Bench, has suggested revamping of the system of allotting emergency quota in trains.

The tribunal headed by E. Rajaraman, while awarding compensation to four passengers, said the present system of allotting emergency quota on the basis of the requisition of a selected VIPs, including politicians and bureaucrats, was defeating the very purpose of it. The tribunal observed that it was high time the Railways evolved a “systematic procedure” to allot emergency quota in a more transparent way, taking into account the need of the passengers rather than the position of the persons who applied for such accommodation.

The court made the observation while allowing a petition filed by Asha Devi and her three children.

According to the petitioners, though they had booked tickets for travel in second class AC from Ernakulam to Mirzapur, their name did not find a place either in the confirmed list or in the waiting list.

Ultimately, they had to travel in an unreserved coach by purchasing ordinary tickets. The petitioners, therefore, sought compensation for the mental agony and inconvenience caused to them.

The Railways took the stand that seats under emergency quota were released to the petitioners. But they had failed to enquire about the release of the quota.

It also submitted that the allotment of seats under emergency quota was done on the basis of certain criteria fixed by the Railway administration and that priority was accorded to the requests of MPs, MLAs, and other VIPs/officials and then only the general public’s request was considered.

While directing the Southern Railway to pay a compensation of Rs.2,000 to the petitioners, the tribunal found that there had been “large scale negligence, carelessness and incompetence on the part of the staff who performed duty at the Information Centre and this had led to great inconvenience, hardship and mental agony to a woman who had to travel with three minor children to a distance of more than 2,844 km.”

The tribunal also ordered refund of the entire fare.

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