In May 2018, Samriddhi missed her BSc Biotechnology entrance exam in Lucknow after her train was delayed by over two hours.
She filed a ₹20 lakh compensation case against the Railways, which lasted more than seven years
The consumer commission held the Railways negligent and ordered them to pay ₹9.10 lakh within 45 days
On May 7, 2018, a legal fight began between the Railways and a girl who was unable to appear for her exam due to a delayed train. After seven years, a district consumer disputes redressal commission in Basti, Uttar Pradesh, has directed the Railways to pay ₹9.10 lakh in compensation to the young girl who missed a crucial entrance examination because of the delay.
The case relates to Samriddhi, who was 17 years old at the time and was travelling from Basti to Lucknow to appear for the BSc Biotechnology entrance examination of Lucknow University. Her examination centre was at Jai Narayan PG College, and candidates were required to report by 12:30 pm.
Samriddhi boarded the Gorakhpur–Lucknow Intercity Superfast Express, which was scheduled to arrive in Lucknow by 11:00 am. This schedule gave her sufficient time to reach the examination centre. However, the train arrived nearly two-and-a-half hours late, leaving her unable to reach the venue before the gates closed. As a result, she missed the examination and lost an entire academic year.
Following the incident, Samriddhi approached the district consumer commission and filed a compensation claim of ₹20 lakh. Notices were issued to the Railway Ministry, the general manager, and the station superintendent. While the Railways acknowledged that the train had been delayed, they failed to provide any satisfactory explanation for the disruption.
The legal proceedings continued for more than seven years. During the hearings, the commission noted that the Railways had not taken adequate responsibility for ensuring timely service and had failed to protect passengers from the consequences of the delay.
After considering the evidence and arguments from both sides, the commission held the Railways negligent and responsible for the loss suffered by the student. It observed that the delay had caused emotional distress and had deprived her of an important academic opportunity.
The commission directed the Railways to pay ₹9.10 lakh as compensation within 45 days. It further stated that if the amount is not paid within the stipulated period, an additional interest of 12 percent would be charged.
[VP]
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