NEW DELHI: The Sonipat district consumer commission has directed the railway board to refund Rs 7,350 to a passenger after it allegedly forfeited the fare for his return train ticket when services to Katra were cancelled amid landslides during the Vaishno Devi pilgrimage in August 2025. The commission also awarded Rs 5,000 as compensation and Rs 11,000 towards litigation expenses. The order was passed on September 21, 2026.Why did the passenger approach the commission?According to the commission order, Baldev Raj Narang booked two train tickets for travel from New Delhi to Katra on August 31, 2025, and the return journey from Katra to New Delhi on September 1, 2025. The two tickets cost Rs 7,350 each, taking the total to Rs 14,700.The landslides on the Vaishno Devi pilgrimage routes led to the cancellation of the pilgrimage and railway services to Katra were also suspended. Narang therefore had to postpone his journey and sought a refund of the full Rs 14,700.The railway refunded Rs 7,350 for the New Delhi-Katra journey but did not refund the return-ticket amount. According to the order, the Railway alleged that the passenger had neither boarded nor cancelled the return ticket himself.Why did the commission say the return fare should also be refunded?The bench comprising president Vijay Singh and members Shyam Lal and Deepa Jain noted that railway records themselves showed that the return train had been cancelled.A message dated September 1, 2025, stated that train No. 12446 had been cancelled due to unavoidable circumstances, while another message dated August 31 also showed that the train had been cancelled due to operational reasons.The commission also noted that the railway later informed the passenger that the train had become operational only about six hours before its scheduled departure.“However record reveals that OP send another message to complainant regarding cancellation of train is now operational but only 6 hours before schedule time but in such a short span of time, it was not possible for complainant to bound the train from Katra,” the commission said.The commission added that restoring the train at such short notice could not justify withholding the passenger’s money.“The evidence produced by complainant Annexure C-1 to C-6 proves that OP is deficient in service & unfair trade practices by not refunding the whole amount to the complainant,” it further held.The commission also noted that the passenger had submitted several requests for a refund but the railway failed to return the remaining amount. It said that since both sides of the journey had been affected by the cancellation, the passenger could not be blamed for not undertaking the return journey.What did the consumer commission order?The Sonipat district consumer commission allowed the complaint and directed the Railway Board to:
- Refund Rs 7,350 to the passenger from the date of filing of the complaint until actual realisation.
- Pay Rs 5,000 as compensation for mental, physical and financial harassment.
- Pay Rs 11,000 towards litigation expenses.
- Comply with the order within 45 days of receiving the certified copy.
The commission also directed that if the refund is not made within the prescribed period, the Rs 7,350 amount will carry simple interest at 8 percent per annum.
