Chennai: Private bus operator to pay Rs15,000 to customer
Neither the bus reached the spot nor did he receive any communication from the staff of Redbus or the bus operator.
Chennai: The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Chennai (North) slapped a fine of Rs15,000 on an Omni bus operator for cancelling scheduled bus service from Hyderabad to Chennai in 2013.
In the petition, G.Ravi of Anna Nagar submitted that he booked a bus ticket online portal www.redbus.in on November 23, 2013 to travel from Hyderabad to Chennai on November 28, 2013. He was allotted a seat in a Volvo AC Multi Axle Semi Sleeper operated by S.V.R. Tours and Travels.
He reached the boarding point Mehdipatnam, Hyderabad to catch the bus at 9.30 pm itself on the appointed day and he waited till 10.30 p.m. Neither the bus reached the spot nor did he receive any communication from the staff of Redbus or the bus operator.
After a long wait, a staffer in the travels informed him that the bus had gone to Ongole. Later, he reached Chennai by train the next afternoon.
Despite having a valid ticket, the operator cancelled the bus service and he sought compensation from the management of Redbus and the travels.
In its reply, manager, M/s Redbus, Head Office, Bengaluru submitted that the company was operating a website ‘www.redbus.in’ to book tickets for various transport services. “It is only an agent for various omni bus operators including S.V.R. Tours and Travels. Ravi booked a ticket to travel from Hyderabad to Chennai on November 28, 2013, in a bus operated by the S.V.R.Tours and Travels. He was issued an e-ticket.”
On receipt of an email from him, the company refunded the ticket amount of Rs 900 to him on November 30, 2013.
Despite having received the refund, he filed the complaint against the online portal management. Hence, the management sought dismissal of the complaint.