THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: KSRTC had to pay Rs 82,555 as compensation to a teacher for the inconvenience she faced after the bus was cancelled at the last minute. This was following the verdict of Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission Babychan Vechoochira and member Nishad Thankappan. The action was taken on a petition filed by Priya, a native of Adoor Erathu, a teacher at NSS HSS Choorackode. Although the compensation was proposed to be paid, the KSRTC initially did not comply. However, when it was decided that arrest proceedings would be initiated, the MD paid the money and settled the dispute.

Priya had a meeting with her PhD guide in Mysuru at 9 am on August 2, 2018. She had booked a ticket on the Scania bus departing from the Kottarakkara depot on August 1 at 8.30 pm. The booking was made online by paying Rs. 1,003.

Priya reached Kottarakkara bus station on August 1, at 5 pm. She received a notification on her phone that the bus would arrive soon. When the bus was late, she called the Thiruvananthapuram depot and was told that the bus would arrive. However, the Kottarakkara depot informed her by 9 pm that the bus had been cancelled. She then took a taxi to Kayamkulam and boarded a bus to Mysore that left at 11.15 pm. Due to her late arrival, the meeting with the guide was cancelled. Priya had to stay there for three days.

The petitioner demanded a refund of the money for the cancelled bus ticket, but KSRTC refused to pay it. The Commission, which examined the complaint, ordered the KSRTC Managing Director to refund Rs. 82,555 as the ticket amount, court costs and compensation to the petitioner. A warrant was issued to arrest the KSRTC MD and produce him before the Commission, when this was not complied with.