The Supreme Court has directed Indian Railways to extend insurance coverage to tickets purchased at railway reservation counters, bringing them at par with tickets booked online.

The direction must be implemented within two weeks, with effect from October 27, 2026.

A Bench of Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Justice R. Mahadevan passed the direction while hearing a matter concerning railway safety and the prevention of untoward incidents during train journeys.

Currently, passengers booking tickets online can opt for insurance coverage by paying a nominal additional amount, while the facility is not available to passengers purchasing tickets over the counter.

In earlier proceedings, the Bench had granted time to the Railways to devise a mechanism to extend insurance coverage to offline ticket purchasers, including people from economically weaker sections who often buy tickets at railway reservation counters.

However, during the hearing on October 6, the Court noted that no progress had been made and directed the Railways to extend insurance coverage to all tickets sold over the counter at railway stations.

“The Court has granted sufficient time to the authorities to devise a mechanism for extending such coverage to persons belonging to the lowest strata of society, who, in most cases, purchase their tickets at the railway reservation counters while undertaking journeys by train. As there has been no progress on this aspect either, we direct that within two weeks, i.e., with effect from 27.10.2026, all tickets sold over the counter at all railway stations shall also be covered by insurance in the same manner as tickets purchased online,” the Court ordered.

The Bench further directed that the order be implemented mandatorily, warning that the Railway Board would be directly responsible for any failure to comply.

The issue was raised by Senior Advocate Shikhil Suri, who is assisting the Court as amicus curiae. He had highlighted the Railways' lack of response on extending insurance coverage to passengers purchasing tickets offline.

The Court had subsequently asked Additional Solicitor General Vikramjit Banerjee, appearing for the Railways, to explain why passengers booking tickets online and those purchasing tickets at reservation counters were treated differently for insurance purposes.

During the October 6 hearing, the Bench also expressed its “utter disappointment” and “displeasure” over the conduct of Railway Ministry officials, observing that the authorities had failed to demonstrate meaningful progress despite repeated assurances.

“The Court records its utter disappointment and displeasure at the conduct of the officers of the Ministry of Railways in such a serious matter concerning the safety of the common man. The Railways have been representing before this Court that all necessary steps are being taken in this regard. However, it appears that such assurances have remained largely on paper and that no substantial change has taken place on the ground,” the Court observed.

The Bench further noted that budgetary provisions for measures aimed at improving passenger safety and preventing untoward incidents had not been fully utilised.

Taking note of the officials' conduct, the Court directed the Chairman and members of the Railway Board to remain personally present before it on November 16 at 3 PM.

It warned that the Board's senior officials would be held personally responsible if the Court found that assurances were being given without a corresponding commitment to implementation.

“The Chairman and Members of the Railway Board shall be personally held responsible, if the Court finds that assurances are being given before this Court without there being corresponding seriousness on the part of the Railways to ensure effective implementation on the ground,” the order stated.

The Court also expressed concern that basic safety requirements remained inadequately addressed despite budgetary allocations.

Earlier, the Bench had flagged concerns over insufficient budgetary allocation for railway safety and sought details of the measures taken by the authorities. Chief Commissioner of Railway Safety Janak Kumar Garg subsequently appeared before the Court, but the Bench expressed “strong displeasure” over the lack of clarity regarding the investments made.

Appearances

For the Railways: Additional Solicitor General Vikramjit Banerjee, Senior Advocate Nachiketa Joshi, Advocates Bharti Tyagi, Sachin Sharma, Ayush Anand, Rajeshwari Shankar and others.

Amicus Curiae: Senior Advocate Shikhil Suri, Advocate Vikas Singh Jangra and others.