Injury during tour package; KSRTC to pay Rs 45000 compensation to Edappally native

KOCHI: In compliance with a court order, the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) will pay compensation to a passenger who sustained injuries during KSRTC's affordable tour package trip. The Ernakulam District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission directed KSRTC to pay Rs 45,000 in compensation. The order follows a complaint filed by Chandrika Mohandas, a resident of Edappally. It was her husband who suffered injuries during the tour.

The incident occurred on October 7, 2023. The complainant and her family were travelling on a KSRTC bus as part of an excursion to Malakkappara, organised by the Vattekunnam Residents' Association in Edappally. During the journey, KSRTC staff asked Chandrika’s 73-year-old husband to move to another seat, claiming that other passengers from Angamaly had already booked it.

While he was in the process of moving to another seat, the bus braked, causing the elderly man to fall; he sustained a fracture in his left wrist. The complaint states that following the incident, the man was admitted to a private hospital, and the surgery incurred expenses exceeding 50,000 rupees. It is further alleged that KSRTC staff failed to provide necessary medical assistance after the accident. The court’s order was issued following an examination of the evidence, including hospital records.