Title - Southern Railways directed to pay Rs 1.30 lakh compensation

Chennai: A civil court Thursday directed the Southern Railways to pay a compensation of Rs. 1.30 lakh to a person who sustained head injury after a wooden-sleeper fell from the railway track while he was riding his two-wheeler through a underpass six years ago.
Ramakrishna Rao, a designer with a private company in Parrys, was on his way to the office when the mishap occurred on November 1,2007. Even though he was wearing helmet, he sustained injury as the 40 kg sleeper came down crashing.He was unable to attend office for more than six months and filed a suit claiming Rs two lakh compensation from the Southern Railways for its negligence in maintaining the Railway Track. The Railways submitted there was no negligence on their part. Pronouncing the judgment, the Second Assistant City Civil Judge G. Vinobha said eyewitnesses said the sleeper fell on the head of the victim and directed the SR to pay Rs.1.30 lakh as compensation.