The Railways Claims Tribunal, Mumbai, today awarded compensation to 36 victims of the Elphinstone foot overbridge stampede, in a first instance of solatium being given to the affected people without any contest from the railways and sans any legal representation by the victims.
Officials said that this ensured that the money goes to the victims without delay.
"Usually compensation claims are settled in two to four years, this one was done very quickly. This is the first time that there were no advocates involved in a claims case," a senior railway official told PTI.
The compensation were given in 17 death and 19 injury cases.
Rs 8 lakh each was awarded to the kin of those who lost their lives, while Rs 25,000 to Rs 8 lakh were given to the injured, depending on the extent of their injury.
A total of 39 claims (18 deaths and 21 injuries) were filed before the RCT Mumbai after the September 29 tragedy in which 23 people lost their lives.
A high-level committee of the railways after taking statements of nearly 30 survivors had absolved the railway authorities and said the incident was caused by rumours and rain.
The railways said three cases (one death and two injury) could not be decided today due to technical reasons (non-availability of proper documents). These three cases will be decided shortly, it said.
Officials said that the money will reach the bank accounts of the victims or their kin in the next two weeks.
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