'Should have made more effort to enter train': Court blames passenger for missing train due to overcrowding

A Bengaluru consumer court has ruled that passengers hold a responsibility to board crowded trains, even if they possess reserved tickets, in response to an elderly couple's claim for damages after missing their train to Vijayawada due to overwhelming crowds.

The case involved Chakka Ganga Purna Ramakrishna, 63, and Chakka Hymavathi, 61, residents of Hoodi, who arrived at Bengaluru City station on April 13, 2022, with booked sleeper-class tickets for a journey to Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh. Despite spending Rs 892.5 each and holding reservations in the S2 coach, the couple found the compartment crammed beyond capacity, making it impossible for them to board the train. The absence of railway staff on the platform further aggravated the situation, leaving the senior citizens with no option but to return home.

In November 2022, after failing to receive a satisfactory response from the South Western Railway (SWR) authorities, including the divisional railway manager (DRM), the couple filed a complaint alleging service deficiency with the Bengaluru Urban district second additional consumer disputes redressal commission.


During the court proceedings, the couple's advocate argued that railway staff had not assisted them in boarding the overcrowded compartment despite holding valid tickets. The railways' representative, however, failed to submit a version in court within the given 45-day period.

After nearly eight months of litigation, the city consumer court's judges made their ruling on July 1, stating that the elderly couple should have made a stronger effort to enter the crowded S2 compartment and should not have remained passive spectators. The judges emphasized that railway authorities and staff cannot be held responsible for helping passengers board trains, as no such duty is explicitly mentioned on the train tickets. Consequently, the court dismissed the couple's complaint, attributing the blame to the complainants themselves for their inability to board the crowded coach.