TSRTC asked to pay Hyd lawyer Rs. 7K for cancelling bus service without any notice

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad District Consumer Redressal Commission has ordered the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) to pay Rs. 7,000 to a Hyderabad-based lawyer for cancelling a bus without providing adequate notice.

The Commission found that A. Mogli had been subjected to unfair trade practices and lack of service.

Mr. Mogli is a lawyer from Dharma Rao Pet village under Kasipet mandal in Mancherial district. In October 2021, he purchased bus tickets from Hyderabad to Mancherial for Rs. 447 (Super Luxury Bus).

He arrived an hour early at the MGBS bus terminal where he was supposed to board the bus. But to his dismay, the bus did not arrive. After waiting for about an hour, Mr. Mogli contacted customer service to inquire about the bus's departure and they suggested he contact the depot manager concerned.

The depot manager answered the phone but did not provide any pertinent information before abruptly disconnecting the call. Mr. Mogli called him again 15-20 times, but he did not answer.

Later, the lawyer discovered that the bus had been cancelled without prior notice and without announcing the cessation of the bus service at the height of the Dussehra holiday season. He came to realize that there were no alternative services to the Yapa bus stop, so he took a bus to Karimanagar.

When Mr. Mogli arrived in Karimnagar at 2 a.m., there was no transport to his hometown. As a result, he had to pay Rs. 7,000 for a private taxi.

The Consumer Redressal Commission noted, "There is no doubt that TSRTC's failure to reply to this Commission's notices promptly constitutes not just a defect in service but also negligence and irresponsibility."