Passengers get relief for discomfort on Volvo bus

Aneesha Sareen

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 27

For a defective seat in a Volvo bus that caused major inconvenience to three members of a family on their journey to Delhi, the Haryana Transport Commissioner will have to shell out Rs 7,500 as compensation and litigation cost. The UT Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has directed the Haryana Transport Commissioner in Sector 17 to pay Rs 2,000 as compensation and Rs 5,500 towards the litigation cost for causing mental and physical agony to the passengers.

The complainant, Vibha Dhiman, a resident of Modern Housing Complex, Mani Majra, stated that on April 21, 2015, she, along with her maternal uncle and aunt, was travelling to Delhi from Chandigarh in a Haryana state transport Volvo bus (HR 55 S 4602). They had purchased tickets for Rs 1,560 (Rs 520 per ticket) and had boarded the bus at the ISBT, Sector 17, Chandigarh, at 9 am.

After the bus crossed Ambala, her aunt realised that the seat was defective as the said seat could not be extended due to non-functioning of the push back seat button due to which she suffered a lot of inconvenience during her journey. It has further been averred that after the crossing Zirakpur, the conductor of the bus played a film on the TV and the rear TV did not start.

Upon being asked, he informed that the rear TV screen was not working as it had a crack. Due to this reason, she, her maternal aunt and uncle could not see the film. It has further been averred that to further add to the agony of the complainant and her relatives during the journey, the scorching heat of the sun fell directly on her uncle as he was occupying the window seat. As the uncle of the complainant was suffering from “Macular hole” in one of his eyes, he faced a lot of discomfort due to the sun heat. According to the complainant, the glass window of the bus was without a sun shade/protector/curtain and against the prescribed standards as held by the Supreme Court.

It was averred that during the journey, they had to face a lot of discomfort and harassment due to the poor maintenance of the bus.

A notice was sent to the Haryana Roadways through a registered post on May 20, 2015. As the period of more than 30 days had passed, it was presumed that it had been duly served. None appeared on behalf of the opposite party and hence the case was proceeded ex parte.

The consumer forum, presided by president Rajan Dewan and members Jaswinder Singh Sidhu and Priti Malhotra, stated that the Haryana transport service was under an obligation for the maintenance of buses and to take care of the comfort of the passengers travelling by their buses.