A passenger who paid Rs 1,200 for an AC bus journey from Hyderabad to Rajahmundry was instead made to travel in a non-AC bus and dropped nearly 10 km short of his destination at midnight. A consumer commission in Visakhapatnam has now directed the travel company to pay him Rs 31,500.
The Visakhapatnam District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission held that the travel company was guilty of deficiency in service for failing to provide the service that had been promised and for leaving the passenger at Kovvuru instead of Rajahmundry.
The Indian Express reported that the commission awarded Rs 500 towards the difference between the AC and non-AC fares, Rs 30,000 as compensation and Rs 1,000 towards litigation costs.
The September 15 ex-parte order was passed by commission president Gudla Tanuja and members Varri Krishna Murthy and Rahimunnisa Begum.
Passenger paid Rs 1,200 for AC bus
According to the The Indian Express report, the passenger had booked a bus from Hyderabad to Rajahmundry and paid Rs 1,200 through a UPI transaction. He alleged that he had been assured an AC bus at the time of booking.
However, he said he was subsequently made to travel in a non-AC bus, despite having paid the fare for the higher-category service. The passenger also alleged that the travel company did not provide him with a physical ticket.
Dropped at Kovvuru around midnight
The passenger’s journey did not end at the destination for which he had paid. He alleged that instead of being dropped at Rajahmundry, he was left at Kovvuru, around 9-10 km away, at approximately 12:30 am.
According to his complaint, there was no proper arrangement for completing the remaining journey and the situation caused him substantial inconvenience and hardship.
He later approached the travel company seeking Rs 500 as a reasonable settlement, but alleged that his request was refused and that he was treated rudely.
The passenger also approached the National Consumer Helpline, but his complaint was disposed of without a resolution on procedural grounds.
Travel company fails to appear
The commission noted that the travel company had been served notice but did not appear before the forum.
The commission examined the passenger’s transaction records and found that the evidence established that Rs 1,200 had been paid to the travel company and debited from his account.
With the payment established, the commission proceeded to examine the allegations made by the passenger.
Commission holds travel company liable
The commission found that the travel company could not escape responsibility after accepting the fare for an AC bus but providing a non-AC service. It also held the company responsible for dropping the passenger at Kovvuru instead of Rajahmundry.
“The opposite party cannot shy away from their liability for making the complainant travel by a non-AC bus instead of an AC bus for which the fare/consideration was received,” the commission said.
The commission further held that leaving the passenger 9-10 km short of his destination amounted to deficiency in service.
Rs 31,500 compensation ordered
The travel company was directed to pay Rs 500 towards the difference between the AC and non-AC fare, Rs 30,000 as compensation for the inconvenience and hardship suffered and Rs 1,000 towards litigation costs.
The total amount payable to the passenger is therefore Rs 31,500.
What does the ruling mean for bus passengers?
If an operator accepts payment for an AC bus but provides a non-AC service, the difference in service can become a consumer dispute. Similarly, dropping a passenger substantially short of the booked destination can amount to deficiency in service, particularly when it causes additional inconvenience and hardship.
Passengers facing such problems should preserve booking confirmations, digital payment records, tickets, messages and other evidence showing what service was promised and what was actually provided. These records can help establish a claim for refund or compensation.