Virendra Gahwai, Bilaspur. The High Court has shown strictness over the disregard of the instructions of the Railway Board and the inconvenience being faced by the passengers, the court has sought an explanation from the DRM. The court has asked why passenger and MEMU trains are still being run as special trains even though the Railway Board has ordered to regularize them. The case was heard in the division bench of Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice BD Guru.
Bilaspur advocate Sudeep Srivastava has filed a PIL, stating that despite the order of the Railway Board dated 21 February 2024, local passenger and MEMU trains in Bilaspur zone are still being run as special trains, due to which passengers are facing problems.
All mail and express trains have started running regularly since 2021, but local passenger and MEMU trains, which are mainly important for poor and short-distance travelers, are still being run as special trains. Due to this, passengers are facing problems like arbitrary fares, irregularity of trains, and sudden cancellations.
Deputy Solicitor General Rama Kant Mishra, appearing for the Railways, informed the court that the Railway Board has issued an order to regularise all passenger, local and MEMU trains and this order is also applicable to Bilaspur zone.
During the hearing of the case, the petitioner said that being a special train, the railway officials have the right to cancel it at any time or change its schedule, due to which the passengers have to face a lot of trouble. The court has asked DRM Bilaspur to file an affidavit within a week.