Pay Rs 8 lakh for bike transit damage: Court

Chennai: A city court in Chennai has directed a transport company to pay compensation of Rs 8.48 lakh to M/s Eicher Motors Ltd for causing damage to Royal Enfield bikes during transit. M/s Eicher Motors Ltd assigned the task of transporting 40 Royal Enfields to M/s Ahmadabad Roadlines Ltd in 2012.

In the petition, M/s Eicher Motors Ltd, the flagship company of Eicher Group, which manufactures Royal Enfield motorcycles, stated that it  proposed to ship 40 Bullet motorcycles from Chennai to Chandigarh. The consignment for a value of Rs45.89 lakh was handed over to M/s Ahmedabad Roadlines Ltd on May 17, 2012. United India Insurance Company ltd insured the consignment.

The consignment was damaged and delivered on May 25, 2012. The automobile firm sent a notice to the transporters, seeking a reply. Later, United India Insurance Company appointed M/s Absolute Surveyors Private Ltd to assess the loss suffered and filed a report stating that the company suffered a loss of Rs8.49 lakh due to negligence of the transporters.

The insurance firm released the claim of Rs8.48 lakh to Eicher Motors, which authorized the insurance firm to file a suit on its behalf before the city civil court. Eicher Motors and the insurance firm sought a direction for compensation of Rs 8.49 lakh. Since the transporters did not file any reply, the case was set ex-parte.