TNSTC to compensate rider with Rs 10,149

MADURAI: Thoothukudi District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission directed the TNSTC to pay a compensation of Rs 10,149 to a complainant due to deficiency in service, sources said on Wednesday.

Earlier, the complainant, Sathish Kumar of Kathirvel Nagar, Thoothukudi, boarded a TNSTC bus from Tirunelveli new bus terminus to Tenkasi. He gave the bus conductor Rs 200 to avail a travel ticket for Rs 51. When he asked for the balance, the conductor replied to the passenger, saying that he had no change of money to give him the balance and asked him to wait. When the bus reached Alangulam, the passenger reminded the conductor of the balance. Even then, the conductor asked him to wait for some time. Finally, when the passenger was about to alight from the bus at the destination point, he asked for the balance, but the conductor lost his cool and hurled abusive words at him.

The passenger was also forced to get off the bus before reaching his destination. Irked over this, Sathish Kumar lodged a complaint through TNSTC WhatsApp, but no action was taken against the conductor.

Sathish then took the issue to the legal body, and a legal notice was issued seeking action, and even then, there was no response. After examining, the President of the Commission, Thiruneela Prasad, and members A Sankar and Namatchivayam directed the TNSTC to pay the balance amount of Rs 149 and Rs 5,000 as compensation to the complainant for causing him mental agony and deficiency in service, along with Rs 5,000 towards the cost of expenses.