Chennai: The district consumer disputes redressal forum, Chennai (south), has directed a taxi fleet service operator to pay a compensation of Rs 5,000 to a passenger who was left stranded in the middle of road, midway through his journey, by the taxi driver.
Petitioner, advocate M. Madhu Prakash, submitted that he booked a Tata Indica car from Fast Track call taxi to pick him from Pursawalkam and drop him at Chennai airport on August 29, 2013. Due to non-availability of Indica car, the taxi operator sent an SUV - Xylo - after agreeing to charge tariff meant for Tata Indica. Prakash left his home for the airport in the SUV at 4.15 pm. Immediately on boarding the vehicle, the driver demanded that he pay airport parking charges. Prakash replied that he would pay parking charges if required. The driver started abusing him for not paying the charges. After halting the vehicle, the driver forced him to get out of the car.
The petitioner alerted Fast Track office about the incident. He spoke to manager Arun who did a conference call with driver Sanjeev Kumar who continued to abuse him. Prakash sent a notice to the taxi fleet operator on September 24, 2013 seeking a compensation of Rs1 lakh for deficiency of service and causing mental agony.
The operator tendered an apology, but operator denied negligence or deficiency in service. The bench, comprising president, B. Ramalingam and member K. Amala, said manager Arun had not made any alternative arrangement for the passenger to reach the airport. This was deficiency of service and caused him mental agony and hardship. “We are of the opinion that Fast Track call taxi service is liable to pay him a compensation of '5,000 for causing mental agony and a sum of Rs 1,000 as cost in six weeks,” the bench said.
