A bench comprising Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Justice R. Mahadevan issued the directions while hearing a case concerning the safety of ordinary passengers during train journeys and the prevention of unfortunate incidents such as railway accidents.
At present, the insurance facility is available only to passengers booking tickets online by paying a nominal additional amount. Passengers purchasing tickets at railway reservation counters have been excluded from this coverage, prompting the court to question the distinction between the two categories of travellers.
The bench observed that a large number of people from economically weaker sections purchase reserved railway tickets at counters. It said there was no justification for denying these passengers insurance protection while extending the facility to those booking tickets online.
The Supreme Court had previously given the Railways sufficient time to establish a system that would extend insurance coverage to counter-ticket holders. However, when the court found no progress during the October 6 hearing, it issued strict directions to ensure implementation.
Under the latest order, Indian Railways must extend insurance coverage to passengers purchasing tickets at reservation counters from October 27, 2026, on the same basis as online ticket bookings. The two-week implementation deadline and the court's warning that the Railway Board would be directly accountable for non-compliance place the responsibility for executing the directive squarely on the railway administration.
The order addresses the disparity in insurance protection between online and counter-based ticket bookings, with the court emphasising that passengers' access to insurance should not depend on the method they use to purchase their tickets.
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