Good news ahead of Diwali: Major changes coming to railway ticket booking..
Ahead of Diwali, Indian Railways is set to offer a significant benefit to the general public. Following a Supreme Court directive, changes will be implemented in railway ticket booking. This will primarily benefit those who purchase tickets at counters rather than booking them online. Indian Railways will now extend insurance coverage to counter-booked tickets as well. A strict directive has been issued to release a notification regarding this by October 27.
According to a report by *LiveLaw*, the Supreme Court has issued an important order to Indian Railways, mandating that the same insurance coverage provided for online tickets must also be extended to tickets purchased at railway reservation counters. This system is to be implemented by October 27, with the Railways required to complete the necessary arrangements within two weeks.
A bench comprising Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Justice R. Mahadevan issued this order during the hearing of a case concerning the safety of passengers and the prevention of accidents on trains.
Currently, insurance coverage is available only to passengers who opt for it by paying a small additional fee while booking tickets online. Passengers who purchase tickets at counters—often those from economically weaker sections—have historically been excluded from this benefit. Following the Supreme Court's order, insurance coverage will now be extended to all passengers.
**System to change from October 27**
During an earlier hearing, the Court had granted railway officials time to devise a mechanism for extending insurance coverage to counter-booked tickets. However, during the hearing on October 6, the Court observed that no action had been taken by the Railways. Consequently, the Court has now issued a clear directive: effective October 27, insurance coverage—identical to that provided for online bookings—must be mandatorily applied to every ticket sold at railway station counters. Failure to comply with this directive will place the responsibility directly on the Railway Board.
**Why the discrimination?**
Senior Advocate Shikhil Suri, acting as *amicus curiae* before the Supreme Court, raised this issue; however, no response was provided by the Railways. In this context, the court asked Additional Solicitor General Vikramjit Banerjee why there is a disparity regarding insurance coverage between online and offline (counter-purchased) tickets.
On October 6, the court expressed deep displeasure with the attitude of railway officials. The court remarked that officials are merely providing assurances on paper, with no visible changes on the ground. Furthermore, the budget allocated for safety is not being fully utilized. The court explicitly stated that the conduct of the Ministry of Railways officials is disappointing; in a matter as critical as the safety of the common man, there is nothing more than rhetoric on paper.
The court has issued a warning: action will be taken against Railway Board officials.
The court has ordered the Chairman and members of the Railway Board to appear in person on November 16 at 3:00 PM. It has warned that if the Supreme Court’s directive is not followed and the facility is not implemented by October 27, the Chairman and members of the Railway Board will be held personally liable.
Coming ahead of Diwali, this court order brings relief to the millions of passengers who purchase tickets at counters; they will now receive the same insurance coverage as those who book tickets online.
Disclaimer: This content has been sourced and edited from News18 Hindi. While we have made modifications for clarity and presentation, the original content belongs to its respective authors and website. We do not claim ownership of the content.
