Bombay High Court Advocates Safety Announcements on Trains

The Bombay High Court has urged railway authorities to implement public safety announcements on long-distance trains to specify stopping stations. This recommendation follows a case where a man, Rohidas Kumavat, was awarded Rs 80,000 in compensation after sustaining injuries while trying to alight a moving train. The court emphasized enhancing passenger safety.

The Bombay High Court has called on railway authorities to implement public safety announcements on all long-distance trains, similar to those on Vande Bharat trains. These announcements should clarify where trains will halt to prevent passengers from risking their lives by alighting or boarding moving trains.

In a judgment passed by Justice Jitendra Jain, the court awarded Rs 80,000 in compensation to Rohidas Kumavat, who suffered injuries while attempting to alight a moving train at Jalgaon a decade ago. The court noted that while local trains provide display boards or announcements for station halts, long-distance trains often neglect this crucial passenger information.

The court reiterated that public announcement systems could significantly reduce such incidents and enhance passenger safety. This decision came after Kumavat challenged a Railway Claims Tribunal's decision that had rejected his compensation claim on the grounds of self-inflicted injury.