Indian Railways Fined ₹30,000 Over Unhygienic Toilets in AC Coach
Consumer commission holds Railways accountable, says sanitation is a basic paid service, not optional
The Impressive TimesMohali- The district consumer disputes redressal commission in Mohali has directed Indian Railways to compensate a passenger with ₹30,000 after finding that toilets in an AC coach remained unusable throughout his journey.
The ruling came after a complaint filed by Surinder Kumar Munshi, a resident of New Chandigarh, who had booked a berth in an AC 3-tier coach on a special train running between Jammu Tawi and Bandra Terminus in November 2023. He alleged that all toilets in the coach were in an extremely dirty condition and could not be used during the trip.
Munshi told the commission that he repeatedly raised the issue with the travelling ticket examiner at multiple stations, including Ambala, Mathura, Kota and Ratlam, but no corrective action was taken. He also registered complaints through the RailMadad platform, but received inconsistent responses from the authorities.
During the proceedings, the Railways argued that cleaning services are often managed through contractors and cited manpower shortages as a reason for the lapse. However, the commission rejected these explanations, stating that outsourcing work does not absolve the Railways of its responsibility to passengers.
After reviewing photographic evidence submitted by the complainant, the bench—headed by president SK Aggarwal along with members Paramjeet Kaur and Lt Col JS Bath—observed that the poor condition of the toilets clearly supported the allegations.
The commission emphasized that sanitation is an essential component of railway services, especially in reserved AC coaches where passengers pay for basic amenities. It also dismissed procedural objections raised by the Railways, noting that technicalities cannot override genuine consumer grievances.
Apart from the compensation awarded to the complainant for harassment and inconvenience, the commission also directed the Railways to deposit ₹15,000 each into the commission’s legal aid fund and the Tricity Consumer Courts Bar Association within 30 days.
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