CHENNAI: A district consumer forum has directed KPN Travels to pay Rs 30,000 to a passenger as compensation for mental agony suffered by him during journey. K Mathan Sundaram of Kottivakkam submitted that in August 2015 he paid `1,150 to travel from Tenkasi to Chennai. Ten minutes after the bus started, he and other passengers started feeling suffocated.
When asked, the driver replied the AC was not working and since the bus was completely there was no air circulation. Despite repeated complaints, the problem was not rectified and the bus made it till Tiruchy with a window left open. After he and fellow passengers filed a police complaint in Madurai, a spare bus was made available at Tiruchy.
After reaching Chennai, he issued a lawyer’s notice to the travels firm. As there was no reply, he filed a complaint before the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Chennai (South). Denying the allegations, the firm’s counsel submitted that the A/C did not work due to electrical problem in the air compressor and it could not be rectified by the driver.
However, the driver safely put all passengers in another bus. The forum, presided by M Mony and member R Baskarkumaravel said the travels itself admitted the fault and hence ordered compensation.