By Admin 
The consumer court in Basti district of Uttar Pradesh has imposed a huge fine of Rs 9 lakh 10 thousand on the Railways. This fine was imposed seven years ago in 2018 on the complaint of student Samriddhi. He had complained that he had booked a ticket in the train and the train was late by more than two and a half hours, due to which he missed his NEET paper. His years of preparation went in vain. On which he took refuge in the court.
After imposing the fine, the court also ordered that if the Railway Department delays in paying the compensation amount, then it will have to pay 12 percent of the payment amount separately to the consumer as interest. This action has created a stir in the railway administration.
What is the whole matter?
Student Samriddhi, resident of Pikaura Bux locality of Kotwali police station area, was preparing for NEET. Also filled the NEET form, in which the examination center was allotted to Jayanarayan PG College, Lucknow. To give the exam, the student took a ticket of Intercity Superfast train from Basti, in which the time of reaching Lucknow was scheduled at 11 o’clock, but due to delay, the train reached two and a half hours late than the scheduled time, whereas the student had to reach the examination center at 12:30, due to which she missed her paper. When the hurt student raised this matter in the Consumer Commission, the Railways had to suffer the consequences.
District Consumer Commission Chairman Justice Amarjeet Verma and member Ajay Prakash Singh imposed a total fine of Rs 9 lakh 10 thousand on the Railways and at the same time the court also ordered that if the Railway Department delays in paying the compensation amount, then it will have to pay 12 percent of the amount as interest separately to the consumer.
The whole matter is of 2018
Samriddhi’s lawyer Prabhakar Mishra told that on May 7, 2018, she had gone to Lucknow to appear for NEET exam. But due to train delay, she was deprived of appearing for the examination and her entire year was wasted. On which I had filed a case in the District Consumer Commission. In this matter, I sent a notice to the Railway Ministry, General Manager Railway and Station Superintendent, but after not getting any reply, a case was filed in the court on 11 September 2018.
The case lasted for more than 7 years
The case continued for more than 7 years. The Commission heard both the parties and the Railways accepted the delay of the train, but did not clarify the reason for the delay. On which the court, while imposing a fine, has directed the Railways to pay Rs 9 lakh 10 thousand within 45 days, and if this amount is not given to the consumer on time, then 12 percent separate interest will have to be paid to the consumer on the entire amount.