New Delhi: Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw revealed that three incidents of assault on passengers by pantry car staff were reported in 2025. The incidents occurred after passengers complained about overcharging for food and other services.
The minister informed the Lok Sabha that the Indian Railways' grievance redressal mechanism, RailMadad, provides passengers with multiple channels to seek assistance and inquiry, including a helpline number, web portal, app, and SMS.
Vaishnaw stated that grievances related to overcharging are received through RailMadad, but no separate data is maintained on physical assaults or threats. He assured that legal action was taken by the Government Railway Police in the reported incidents.
The minister highlighted the Indian Railways' efforts to curb overcharging, including sending SMSes with menu links, installing Point of Sale machines for cashless payments, and imposing fines amounting to ₹2.6 crore over the past three years.
