Consumer forum directs officials to ensure trouble-free travel

Mahesh Chander Sharma

SUNDERNAGAR, April 22

The Local Bench of Consumer Forum, Mandi, headed by its President Purinder Vaidya, has directed Managing Director, HRTC Shimla, Regional Manager, HRTC Region Mandi, Principal Secretary, Transport, Shimla and Regional Transport Officer, Mandi, to ensure trouble-free travel service between Mandi and Bindrabani on the Mandi-Kullu Road.

The Forum passed these orders today on a complaint of Ashok Kumar, a resident of Nela village, near Mandi, and directed the officials to ensure that buses plying between Mandi and Kullu pick up commuters between this stretch so that least inconvenience was caused to passengers.

The complainant said he, along with other passengers of Nela village, Bindrabani, Sauli Khud and Industrial area situated in outskirt of Mandi used to visit the town regularly. They faced problems as the buses did not pick up passangers from local bus stop at Sauli Khud. He stated that these areas were thickly populated and many important offices were situated here but great inconvenience was caused to the local residents as the buses did not stop. As an evidence, the complainant filed an affidavit pointing out deficiency on part of the travel bodies.

However, the opposite parties said the buses stopped at the stoppages and there was no deficiency in service on their part. The Mandi RTO filed an affidavit that some buses were challaned for not lifting the passengers.

The Forum said challaning of buses was no solution and directed the officials to ensure that passengers travelling between Mandi, Nela and Sauli Khud get effective bus service. They were further directed to ensure that the passengers were picked up regularly from notified stoppages between these routes.