The state-run KSRTC was fined $30,000 by the District Consumer Commission in this district for denying a seat to a sick passenger and not dropping him at his designated stop, according to an official statement.
The action was based on a complaint filed by Mohammad Zainuddin Kurmath, a resident of Thottachiriyara, who boarded a Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus from Ambalur in Thrissur to Kollapuram in Malappuram recently.
After boarding the bus, the complainant realized that there were no empty seats, according to the statement issued on Saturday.
On informing the train conductor of his health condition and inability to stand for long, he was assured that there would be a seat available from Thrissur. After that he got a ticket to Kollapuram.
She added that in Thrissur, when some seats became vacant, one seat was occupied by the complainant.
However, another passenger later claimed that the seat was reserved and the train conductor asked him to vacate it. With the other seats already occupied, he had to continue the journey standing.
The Committee also noted that the complainant was not dropped off at his intended stop, Kakad.
Instead, when the bus was traveling across the national highway without entering the service road, he had to get off at Koryad, causing further difficulties.
In support of the complainant’s claim, the Committee noted that his failure to inform him of the reserved seats and not allowing him to get off at the designated station amounted to a deficiency in service.
The Malappuram District Consumer Committee, comprising Chairman K. Mohandas and Members Prithi Sivaraman and CV Muhammad Ismail, KSRTC on payment $25,000 as compensation and $The statement added that an amount of 5,000 pounds will cover litigation costs within 45 days, and in the event of failure to comply with this, an interest of nine percent will be applied.
