Kerala High Court rejects plea on providing halts for trains
The Kerala High Court on Friday dismissed a plea filed by a lawyer seeking a halt for the Vande Bharat train at Tirur Railway station in Kerala. [PT Sheejish v Union of India & Ors.].
Facts of the Case
The Petitioner is a practicing lawyer and alleges that even though there was a proposal to allot a stop for the new Vande Bharat train at the Triur in Malappuram, without any reason the proposal did not fructify. He stated that Malappuram is a densely populated area and a large number of people rely on train services for their travel purpose. Not allotting a stop at Tirur Railway Station is an injustice to the people living there.
The division bench consisting of Justices Bechu Kurian Thomas and C Jayachandran stated that the stops where the train is supposed to be halted shall be determined by the Railway authorities. No individual or person has a right to demand that a train should halt at a particular station. Moreover, if every individual like the Petitioner starts demanding a stop at a Railway Station of his/her choice then the purpose of setting up high-speed trains would be lost.
The judgment read out as:
“Railway stops are not to be provided on demands based on personal or vested interests especially for high speed express trains like Vande Bharat train. If stops are provided on demand by public, the term express train will itself become a misnomer.”
The Courts further stated that they cannot interfere in the matter of providing stops for railway trains as that is a matter purely within the discretion and jurisdiction of the Railway Authorities. Hence providing a railway stop at Tirur for the Vande Bharat train is not justifiable. On this basis, the court dismissed the writ petition.
Source: Bar and Bench
