A bench of Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and R. Mahadevan issued the order while hearing matters related to railway safety, expressing displeasure over the Railways’ failure to extend insurance benefits to offline ticket buyers despite repeated opportunities.
New Delhi:The Supreme Court has directed Indian Railways to extend insurance coverage to tickets purchased at reservation counters from October 27, bringing them on a par with online bookings. It warned that the Railway Board would be held responsible for non-compliance.
A bench of Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and R. Mahadevan issued the order while hearing matters related to railway safety, expressing displeasure over the Railways’ failure to extend insurance benefits to offline ticket buyers despite repeated opportunities.
The court highlighted that the exclusion particularly affected economically disadvantaged passengers who often purchase tickets at reservation counters.
The direction followed concerns raised by senior advocate Shikhil Suri, assisting the court as amicus curiae, over the lack of progress on the issue. The bench also sought an explanation from Additional Solicitor General Vikramjit Banerjee on why offline ticket buyers were treated differently from online passengers.
Separately, the court criticised the Railways’ handling of passenger safety, saying assurances given to the bench had not resulted in substantial improvements on the ground.
Manas Kapoor, Business Head, Travel Insurance, Policybazaar, said, “Making insurance mandatory for all train travellers is a welcome step towards strengthening passenger safety and financial protection in India. The SC’s decision strengthens the importance of travel insurance and recognises it as an essential safeguard rather than an optional add-on.”