Insurance for All Counter-Bought Railway Tickets from October 27: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court has directed Indian Railways to provide insurance coverage for all railway tickets purchased over the counter from October 27, warning the Railway Board against failure to implement the order.

Post Published By: Sreeja Chowdhury

Updated : 15 October 2026, 4:14 PM IST

Insurance for All Counter Bought Railway Tickets (Img: Pinterest)

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has directed Indian Railways to extend insurance coverage to all tickets purchased over the counter at railway stations from October 27.

The bench warned that the Railway Board would be held responsible for any failure to implement the order.

Order Follows 2023 Odisha Train Accident

The direction came while hearing a petition filed after the June 2023 Odisha train accident. It sought a commission of inquiry into the crash, which the petitioner linked to the non-implementation of the Kavach anti-collision system, and called for the early rollout of the safety technology across the network.

Court Raises Other Railway Safety Concerns

Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and R Mahadevan broadened the scope of the case to include other critical safety issues, such as the construction of foot overbridges, fencing of tracks, and the absence of insurance for offline ticket buyers, many of whom are economically weaker passengers.

The court expressed strong displeasure at the Ministry of Railways' handling of the matter.