The High Court of Chhattisgarh at Bilaspur has disposed of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) taken up suo motu regarding the alleged misuse of railway resources.
The PIL was based on a news item published on December 25, 2024, which highlighted the negligence and inefficiency of the Railways in allowing padded seats made for sitting in trains to be misused and placed over drains by railway employees.
The Court had directed the General Manager, South East Central Railways, Bilaspur, to file a personal affidavit in the matter.
In compliance with the Court’s order, the General Manager filed an affidavit stating that the railway seats placed over the drain near the Jan Aushadhi Kendra were salvaged from a condemned coach and were temporarily used to cover the drain to avoid any inconvenience to passengers and the public at large during the shifting of the parking area.
The affidavit further stated that the railway administration is dedicated to the proper use of public resources and that the safety of passengers is of paramount importance.
The General Manager also submitted that the drain has been covered by a concrete slab permanently.
In light of the affidavit filed by the General Manager, the Division Bench of Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Ravindra Kumar Agrawal disposed of the PIL.