A travel company has been ordered to pay ₹31,500 in compensation to a passenger after failing to provide an air-conditioned bus as booked and dropping him 10 kilometers short of his destination in the middle of the night.
The Visakhapatnam District Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission ruled against the company, citing a clear deficiency in service.
AC Bus Booked, Non-AC Provided
The incident began when a man booked a bus service from Hyderabad to Rajahmundry, paying ₹1,200 via a UPI app. He was assured an AC bus for his journey. However, upon boarding, he was made to travel in a non-AC vehicle, contrary to his booking. The company also reportedly failed to provide a physical ticket.
Dropped Early at Midnight
The passenger's ordeal worsened at the end of the journey. Instead of being dropped at Rajahmundry, he was left near Kovvuru at approximately 12:30 AM. Kovvuru is situated about 9 to 10 kilometers away from his intended destination, Rajahmundry. The man stated he was left without any proper arrangements for his safety or onward travel, causing significant inconvenience and hardship.
Company Ignores Complaint and Commission
Following the journey, the passenger sought a refund of ₹500 from the company as a "reasonable settlement." However, his request was refused, and he claimed the company's representatives became rude and intimidating. He then escalated his complaint to the National Consumer Helpline, but it was dismissed due to procedural reasons.
Undeterred, the man approached the Visakhapatnam District Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission. Despite being served notice, the travel company did not appear before the commission. The commission proceeded ex-parte, reviewing the evidence provided by the complainant, including proof of the ₹1,200 transaction.
Commission Rules for Passenger
In its September 15 order, the commission, comprising President Gudla Tanuja, member Varri Krishna Murthy, and member Rahimunnisa Begum, held the travel company liable for deficiency in service. The ruling explicitly stated that the company could not "shy away from their liability" for providing a non-AC bus despite receiving payment for an AC service and for "forcibly dropping the complainant at Kovvuru" instead of Rajahmundry.
The commission ordered the company to pay ₹500 as the difference between the AC and non-AC fares, an additional ₹30,000 as compensation for the inconvenience and hardship, and ₹1,000 towards litigation costs. The total amount awarded to the passenger was ₹31,500.
Individuals facing consumer-related grievances can contact the National Consumer Helpline at 1915 or the Andhra Pradesh consumer helpline at 1800-11-4000 for assistance.