A single bench led by Justice Jitendra Jain, in a ruling issued on Tuesday, also warned passengers against jeopardizing their safety while attempting to get on or off moving trains.
The court mandated compensation of ₹ 80,000 to a man who sustained injuries while attempting to exit a moving train at the Jalgaon railway station nearly ten years ago.
It observed that local trains provide a display board or announcement indicating the stations where the train will not stop.
“However, such a display board or announcement is absent for long-distance trains on the platforms. Long-distance trains are also utilized by passengers traveling shorter distances between railway stations,” HC stated.
When there are no announcements regarding the stations where the train will not halt, no blame can be placed on a passenger who tries to board or alight at a station where the train does not stop, it indicated.
Passengers are advised to refrain from getting on or off a moving train. It is recommended to wait until the train comes to a halt at the next station, even if a fine is required, stated the bench.
“I understand that at that moment, a person may take steps that jeopardize their life, but it is precisely at that time that one’s mental state is put to the test. This is essential for the broader interest of the passengers’ families,” Justice Jain remarked.
“Railway authorities should implement a public announcement system, similar to that in Vande Bharat trains, across all trains to mitigate such incidents,” the court added.
This was during the appeal of Rohidas Kumavat, who was challenging a January 2018 ruling from the Railway Claims Tribunal that denied his compensation claim on the grounds that his injuries were self-inflicted and not due to an unforeseen incident.
According to the application, Kumavat was traveling on the Guwahati Express from Manmad to Jalgaon. As the train neared Jalgaon station, Kumavat lost his balance amid the crowd and fell from the train, suffering injuries to his head and legs.
The tribunal denied Kumavat’s compensation request, concluding he fell because he was seated near the coach door. He attempted to exit as the train was coming into Jalgaon station, realizing it would not stop there, the tribunal noted.
The high court recognized Kumavat as a bona fide passenger who boarded the train believing that all trains would stop at Jalgaon, an important location in Maharashtra.
“However, upon realizing the train was not stopping at Jalgaon, if a person tries to exit a moving train, it is natural for some injuries to occur,” the court explained.
While the applicant (Kumavat) could have waited to get off at the next station, in that moment, a person can lose their mental composure and, in panic, attempt to disembark without any intention of inflicting injury upon themselves, it pointed out.
“In such circumstances, no individual would deliberately cause self-harm, and in certain situations, there is a chance that they may emerge uninjured,” the court commented.
The bench awarded a compensation of ₹ 80,000 to Kumavat, to be disbursed by the railway authorities within 12 weeks.
(Edited by : Sudarsanan Mani)
