Paid ₹1,200 for AC bus, got non-AC ride and was dropped 10 km early; passenger wins ₹31,500

A man who paid for an AC bus ticket from Hyderabad to Rajahmundry was made to travel in a non-AC bus and then dropped about 10 km before his destination at midnight, The Indian Express reported.

The Visakhapatnam District Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission has now directed the travel company to pay him ₹31,500 for deficiency in service.

The commission, comprising President Gudla Tanuja, member Varri Krishna Murthy and member Rahimunnisa Begum, was hearing the man's complaint against the travel company.

The man had booked a bus service from Hyderabad to Rajahmundry and paid ₹1,200 to the travel company through a UPI app. He said he was assured at the time of booking that he would travel in an AC bus.

However, he was made to travel in a non-AC bus. He also claimed that the company did not provide him with a physical ticket despite receiving the payment.

Dropped 10 km before destination at midnight

At the end of the journey, the man said he was dropped near Kovvuru at around 12:30 am instead of Rajahmundry. Kovvuru is around 9 to 10 km from Rajahmundry.

He alleged that he was left there without any proper arrangement or concern for his safety, causing him “substantial inconvenience and hardship”.

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The man said he later asked the company to refund ₹500 as a “reasonable settlement”. However, according to his complaint, the company refused and became rude and intimidating with him.

Travel company did not appear before commission

He then approached the National Consumer Helpline for a resolution. However, his complaint was disposed of without a solution because of procedural reasons.

The commission noted that the man had produced evidence of the transaction showing that ₹1,200 had been paid to the travel company and debited from his account.

The travel company did not appear before the commission despite being served notice. The commission therefore passed its September 15 order ex-parte.

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Commission holds travel company liable

“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 by the opposite party. The opposite party also falls under the purview of deficiency of service for forcibly dropping the complainant at Kovvuru (which is around 9 to 10 kms from Rajahmundry) instead of Rajahmundry, for which a consideration was received,” the order said.

The commission held the travel company liable for deficiency in service for providing a non-AC bus despite receiving payment for an AC bus and for dropping the passenger at Kovvuru instead of Rajahmundry.

It ordered the company to pay ₹500, representing the difference between the AC and non-AC fares, along with ₹30,000 as compensation and ₹1,000 towards litigation costs. The total payout was ₹31,500.

For consumer-related grievances, individuals can contact the National Consumer Helpline at 1915. The Andhra Pradesh consumer helpline number is 1800-11-4000.