Chennai: Online ticketing major redBus.in and an Omni bus operator were slapped with a fine of Rs 6,000 for cancelling bus tickets of a passenger four years ago. The bus operator cancelled his ticket to Nagercoil from Chennai at the eleventh hour.
S.Sankar, Thiru-Vi-Ka, Nagar, submitted that he hails from Nagercoil and had settled in Chennai. On December 20, 2014 due to an emergency, he wished to go to Nagercoil along with his cousin and booked two tickets through website of redBus.in paying Rs 1,554.
They were assigned to travel in an Omni bus operated by MRM travels and scheduled to depart Koyambedu bus stand at 9.15 pm. However, at 6 pm he received a message from the travels firm that the bus from Chennai to Nagercoil was cancelled. The Omni bus operator failed to make alternate travel arrangement for them. With great difficulty he managed to purchase one ticket from another bus operator for Rs 1,500.
When contacted, the manager of redBus informed him he was not aware of the cancellation. Both redBus and MRM Tours and Travels failed to refund the ticket amount. S.Sankar contended the both the parties committed negligence in service and hence both were liable to pay compensation.
In its reply, the manager of redBus informed that the website provides a platform for connecting various bus operators with customers. They have to choose the bus operator and book tickets as per their terms and conditions. It has no control over the type of bus or cancellation of bus. After confirmation of cancellation, the staff of redBus processed the refund of bus fare of Rs 1,554 on December 29, 2014. The Omni bus operator failed to appear before the forum.
The bench comprising president K.Jayabalan and member M.Uyirroli Kannan said that even though Red Bus agreed to refund the ticket amount, the staff had not refunded the amount to Sankar in time. MRM Tours and Travels committed deficiency in service in not arranging an alternate bus for the travel of the complainant and other passengers.
The bench directed redBus and Omni bus operator to jointly or severally to pay Rs 1,000 towards compensation for causing mental agony and cost Rs 5,000.
