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A consumer commission has ordered a private bus operator to pay Rs 15,000 as compensation to a Chennai-based beautician after the staff failed to drop her at her designated stop, causing her to miss a professional engagement. The North District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission held that Sri Meenakshi Travels’ failure to ensure that the passenger got down at the destination mentioned in her ticket amounted to deficiency in service.
The complainant had booked a sleeper bus online for an overnight journey from Chennai to Karungalakudi, where she had a work commitment. According to her complaint, she had specifically requested the bus staff to alert her before reaching the stop. However, despite repeated reminders, the bus crossed Karungalakudi and continued towards Madurai.
She was taken back to her destination only after an alternative vehicle was arranged. The complainant told the commission that the incident disrupted her work schedule, caused mental distress, and resulted in an overnight delay that could have been avoided.
The bus operator contested the allegations, arguing that stopping midway during an overnight journey raised safety concerns. It claimed that announcements were made before every stop and that the passenger did not respond when Karungalakudi was called out. The operator also said that she was safely taken to the final terminus.
After examining travel records and submissions from both sides, the commission noted that the passenger’s booking clearly mentioned Karungalakudi as her destination. It also found inconsistencies in the operator’s version and observed that failing to ensure a passenger alights at the booked destination constituted a deficiency in service under the Consumer Protection Act.
The commission partly allowed the complaint and directed Sri Meenakshi Travels to pay Rs 15,000, including litigation costs, within 45 days. It also said that failure to comply with the order would attract nine percent annual interest, calculated from the date the complaint was filed until the amount is fully paid.
This article was written by a student interning with TNM.