0 months ago
Andhra man wins Rs 20,000 after bus boarding point shift
A man in India bought a bus ticket on his phone to travel from one city to another.
On the day of the trip, someone called him and said the bus would pick him up from a different stop instead.
The man hurried to the new spot, but the bus left before he got there.
His ticket money was given back, but he still had to spend more money to book another ride.
He thought this was unfair, so he complained to a special court that helps people who have problems with companies.
The court agreed that the bus company and the ticket app treated him badly.
It said the app should have talked to him before cancelling his ticket.
The court ordered the companies to pay him Rs 20,000 and also pay Rs 30,000 to a fund that helps consumers.
This ruling tells online platforms they cannot hide from responsibility by saying they are only middlemen.
A consumer commission in Andhra Pradesh ordered an online bus ticketing platform and a private bus operator to jointly pay Rs 20,000 compensation to a passenger.
The passenger missed his Bengaluru-to-Ongole bus after being informed the boarding point had shifted from Anandha Rao Circle to Tin Factory at the last minute.
He paid Rs 1,249.50 for the ticket, which was refunded, but he spent nearly Rs 3,000 on alternative travel to reach Ongole.
The commission found the platform negligent for cancelling the ticket solely on the operator's intimation without enquiring with the passenger.
The parties were also directed to pay Rs 30,000 to the Consumer Welfare Fund, State of Andhra Pradesh for deficiency of service and harassment.
- Who
- A passenger who booked an online bus ticket, an online bus ticketing platform, a private bus operator, and the Andhra Pradesh consumer commission.
- What
- The consumer commission directed the platform and operator to jointly pay Rs 20,000 compensation after the passenger missed his bus because the boarding point was changed at the last minute.
- Where
- Andhra Pradesh, India; the journey was from Bengaluru to Ongole, with boarding points at Anandha Rao Circle and Tin Factory.
- When
- The bus journey took place on January 9, 2025; the commission's ruling was announced later.
- Why
- The commission found deficiency of service and negligence because the ticket was cancelled on the operator's word without any enquiry with the passenger.
Passenger's Complaint
Platform and Operator's Defence
Responsibility for the missed bus
Passenger's Complaint
The boarding point was changed at the last minute and the bus departed before the passenger could reach the new location about 45 minutes later.
Platform and Operator's Defence
The passenger was informed of the revised boarding point but failed to reach there on time, following which the bus left without him.
Ticketing platform's liability
Passenger's Complaint
The platform is negligent and liable because it cancelled the ticket solely based on the operator's intimation without making any enquiry with the passenger.
Platform and Operator's Defence
The platform merely operated an online ticket-booking platform and had no control over the operational decisions taken by the bus operator.
Key facts
- Compensation awarded
- Rs 20,000
- Payment to Consumer Welfare Fund
- Rs 30,000
- Ticket fare paid
- Rs 1,249.50
- Journey date
- January 9, 2025
- Route
- Bengaluru to Ongole
- Original boarding point
- Anandha Rao Circle
- Revised boarding point
- Tin Factory
- Cost of alternative travel
- Nearly Rs 3,000
Quotes
Consumer Commission of Andhra Pradesh
Official order from the state consumer commission
“"The complaint is allowed in part on payment of costs of Rs 30,000 to the Consumer Welfare Fund, State of Andhra Pradesh by the opposite parties 1 and 2 jointly and severally, directing them to pay an amount of Rs 20,000 as compensation to the complainant for deficiency of service, harassment and mental agony caused to him, including litigation expenses."”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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