Now Reading: Chandigarh consumer panel fines redBus, Kalpana Travels Rs 8,700 for delayed bus
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Chandigarh consumer panel fines redBus, Kalpana Travels Rs 8,700 for delayed bus
Chandigarh consumer panel fines redBus, Kalpana Travels Rs 8,700 for delayed bus
The Chandigarh district consumer disputes redressal commission has directed redBus and bus operator Kalpana Travels Pvt Ltd to pay Rs 8,700 to television actor Abhinandan Jindal after a delayed bus caused him…
The Chandigarh district consumer disputes redressal commission has directed redBus and bus operator Kalpana Travels Pvt Ltd to pay Rs 8,700 to television actor Abhinandan Jindal after a delayed bus caused him to miss a connecting train and a scheduled shoot.
Jindal had booked a Rs 1,680 bus ticket through redBus on December 12, 2024, to travel from Abu Road in Rajasthan to Ahmedabad. He was to catch a 2.05 am train to Mumbai on December 13 for a Balaji Telefilms shoot. The bus was due at 8.15 pm but did not arrive on time, and Jindal alleged a staff member behaved rudely. He hired a taxi for Rs 3,700 but still missed the train by 20 minutes and then took another bus to Mumbai, missing the shoot.
The commission, presided by Pawanjit Singh, held the delay amounted to deficiency in service. It ordered the two firms to jointly pay Rs 3,700 as refund and taxi expense with 9% per annum simple interest from December 12, 2024, plus Rs 5,000 compensation for mental agony and litigation costs. The parties have 45 days to comply, failing which penal interest of 12% per annum applies.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The ruling builds on a settled principle in Indian consumer law: an aggregator that collects payment and issues a ticket is a 'service provider' under the Consumer Protection Act, not a mere intermediary. The commission's decision to hold redBus jointly and severally liable, despite its argument that it was 'only a technology platform', reinforces a 2023 National Commission precedent that platforms guaranteeing a service cannot disown operational failures. For the entertainment industry, where shoots are time-sensitive and actors often juggle multiple schedules, this case sets a practical benchmark. Jindal's claim of Rs 1,680 for a bus ticket resulted in a total award of Rs 8,700 plus interest. The key signal for aggregators: the 45-day compliance deadline and the 12% penal interest on non-payment act as a deterrent against similar disputes. Watch for whether redBus appeals to the State Commission, which would test whether this interpretation holds for all bus-booking platforms.
Source: hindustantimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
