Supreme Court Mandates Passenger Insurance for Railway Counter Tickets from October 27
Supreme Court of India has instructed Indian Railways to provide insurance cover for all the train tickets bought from the ticket counters of the railway stations from October 27, 2026.
The instruction was made by a panel of Justices consisting of Ahsanuddin Amanullah and R. Mahadevan during a case related to safety of railways and security of passengers after the tragic train accident in Odisha in June 2023.
The Railway Board was threatened that they would be liable for the consequences if the instruction was not carried out within the prescribed time period.
What Has the Supreme Court Ordered?
The court has asked Railways to provide an insurance cover for the tickets booked in the form of physical tickets at railway stations, just like in the case of online bookings. This move is aimed at ensuring that passengers get insurance coverage irrespective of whether they book their tickets online or offline.
As of now, the passengers who are booking the eligible tickets on Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) website online can buy travel insurance for a very low premium. On the other hand, the passengers who were buying the tickets from the booking counters did not have this option.
The court highlighted that authorities had enough time to make arrangements in this regard but as no significant improvement was seen, the bench made this move mandatory from October 27.
Why Is Railway Travel Insurance Important?
Railway travel insurance is an insurance cover which is provided to the passengers or their heirs upon any occurrence of a particular train accident among other incidences covered by the policy terms.
The court pointed out that there are individuals who buy tickets from railway counters including those people who cannot easily book through the internet. Insurance cover will facilitate access to passenger protection to such passengers.
The current optional insurance plan provided online travel cover of up to ₹10 lakh subject to specified circumstances. The type of cover, payment terms and claim procedure in case of counter bookings will be dependent on the mechanism adopted by the Railways.
Supreme Court Raises Wider Railway Safety Concerns
The insurance case falls under a wider investigation into safety measures in railways such as Kavach that is an automatic train protection system, building of foot overbridges and fencing in the railway tracks.
The bench was worried about the failure to put in place the necessary safety measures in spite of the money being allocated by the railway authority. It wanted to know what had been achieved so far and the reason for failing to achieve the safety measures.
The court has fixed November 16, 2026, for hearing of the case.
What Does the Order Mean for Passengers?
As of October 27, those buying their tickets from railway reservation counters would be entitled to insurance facilities, as per the directions issued by the court. It is advised that the travellers refer to the Railway and IRCTC official communications for information regarding the eligibility criteria, coverage, premium amount and claims process.
This is definitely a landmark ruling as far as extension of insurance facilities to offline bookings is concerned. The success of such a ruling shall now largely depend upon the capability of the railways to incorporate it into practice along with the dissemination of terms of the coverage.
In taking such an effective decision within a specific time frame and fixing responsibility on the Railway Board, the Supreme Court has certainly ensured that passenger safety remains the key focus of its analysis.
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