Railways liable to pay compensation for injuries within station premises: Gujarat High Court

The Gujarat High Court has ruled that the Railways are liable to pay compensation if a person is injured or dies anywhere within the limits of a railway station, including platforms, waiting halls and booking offices.

Delivering the judgment, Justice J C Doshi observed that any individual present within railway premises, such as a waiting hall, cloakroom, reservation or booking office, platform, or any other designated area, would be entitled to compensation in the event of injury or death.

The court ruled the observation while granting relief to the family of a deceased passenger who died after falling from his berth inside a train following a sudden jolt.

The High Court set aside an earlier order of the Railway Claims Tribunal, which had rejected the family’s claim for compensation of Rs 8 lakh along with interest. Terming the tribunal’s decision “illegal and void”, the court directed that the matter be remanded for fresh consideration.

The bench further clarified that Section 123(c) of the Railway Act is a beneficial provision intended to cover such “untoward incidents”, reinforcing the liability of railway authorities in such cases.