- A Himachal Pradesh consumer commission ordered RedBus and Bharmani Travels to pay Rs 10,000 compensation
- The passenger's Rs 600 confirmed ticket was cancelled 17 minutes before the scheduled departure
- RedBus cannot avoid responsibility after accepting payment and confirming the booking
A district consumer commission in Himachal Pradesh has directed RedBus and a private bus operator, Bharmani Travels, to pay Rs 10,000 in compensation to a passenger whose confirmed Rs 600 bus ticket was cancelled just 17 minutes before departure. As per reports, the commission said online booking platforms cannot avoid responsibility by calling themselves mere intermediaries after accepting payment and confirming a ticket.
The order was passed on July 4 by the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in Kangra.
What Led To The Complaint
According to the order, the passenger, Jayant Patial, had booked a bus ticket from Palampur to Delhi through RedBus on October 5, 2023. He paid Rs 600 for the journey, and the bus was scheduled to leave at 10:15 pm.
Patial reportedly reached the boarding point around 20 to 30 minutes before departure. When he contacted the bus operator, Bharmani Travels, he was allegedly told that there was no bus scheduled for 10:15 pm. The operator reportedly informed him that its last bus for Delhi had already left at 8 pm.
Patial then contacted RedBus customer support. While he was assured that the issue would be checked, he received a message at 9:58 pm informing him that his booking had been cancelled and that a refund had been started.
Since he urgently had to reach Delhi, he reportedly travelled around 40 km to the nearest airport and booked a costly flight for the next morning.
Commission Found Both Parties Responsible
Patial later moved the consumer commission, seeking compensation for the financial loss, mental harassment, and litigation costs.
RedBus argued that it only provides an online platform connecting passengers with bus operators and does not control bus schedules. The company also said it had refunded Rs 585 to Patial's bank account and Rs 60 to his RedBus wallet. It further claimed that it had offered twice the ticket fare as a goodwill gesture, but the offer was declined.
Bharmani Travels, however, did not appear before the commission despite receiving notice, following which the matter proceeded ex parte against the operator.
The commission rejected RedBus's argument that it was only an intermediary. It observed that once a platform accepts payment, charges service fees, and confirms a booking, it also has a responsibility towards consumers if the promised service is not available.
It also noted that Bharmani Travels did not explain why the scheduled bus was not operated.
The commission held both RedBus and Bharmani Travels jointly and severally liable. They have been directed to pay Rs 5,000 as compensation for mental agony and harassment and another Rs 5,000 towards litigation expenses, apart from the refund already received by the passenger.
The order also states that the amount must be paid within 30 days. If the companies fail to do so, the compensation will carry interest at 9% per annum from the date the complaint was filed until the payment is made.
