Chennai: The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Chennai (North) slapped a fine of Rs 15,000 on Northern and Southern Railways for not maintaining the toilets properly in the super fast Duronto Express train. The forum directed the railways to compensate in six weeks the Coast Guard personnel who lodged the complaint about the journey he undertook three years ago.
In the complaint, D. Gabriel, Indian Coast Guard Quarters, Royapuram, submitted that he was a personnel in Coast Guard. After attending a training camp in New Delhi, he was returning to Chennai by Duronto Express from Nizamuddin to Chennai in AC 3 tier on March 9, 2013.
After 15 minutes of departure, he tried to use the toilet and found that there was not a drop of water in the facility and in the washbasin in the B3 coach.
The restroom was unhygienic and bad odours emanated from it. He found that there was no proper ventilation in the AC compartment. He raised a complaint with Pavan Kumar, TTR, who assured him that it would be rectified in the next station. However, he found the condition not improved even by the next morning. Hence, he bought four water bottles from IRCTC canteen and used them in the toilet.
After registering his complaint in the register book maintained by TTR, he sent an e-mail to the Additional General Manager, who replied stating that the contractor was fined Rs 3,000 and action was initiated. He sought compensation from General Manager, Northern Railway and General Manager, Southern Railway, for causing him mental agony.
In its reply, the Railways denied the allegation. The officials stated that there was adequate water in the toilet. From 11.45 hrs to 15.30 hrs, all the coaches, including toilets in the Duronto Express, were completely cleaned and sanitised. Sufficient water filled in the coaches during maintenance activities carried out just prior to the train’s departure. Only one toilet flush tap was stuck for a few minutes, which was rectified immediately.
The complainant falsely twisted the matter and recorded a false fact in the complaint book and the railways had not committed any deficiency in the service.
The bench of president K. Jayabalan and member T. Kalaiyarasi, said the non-availability of water in coaches and cleanliness in the toilets of the train caused mental agony to the petitioner. The bench directed both the railways to pay '15,000 to the complainant in six weeks.
