‘Passenger grievance cell not solving complaints’

CHENNAI: Days after the launch of the passenger grievance redressal system, Arappor Iyakkam, an organisation working for transparency and anti-corruption, alleged that the passenger’s complaint was closed without solving.

According to Ramakrishnan, a member of the organisation, the bus he was travelling from Tiruvannamalai to Chennai on March 7 stopped at Hotel Royal near Kollar on Gingee-Tindivanam Highway around 5.30 am, and he was charged for the toilet also fleeced with overpricing of the food including Rs 20 for tea and Rs 20 for biscuits.

He said that as per the contract given by the State Express Transport Corporation, which floats tender to identify the highway motels for the corporations, the passengers should not be charged for toilet facilities at the hotel stoppages.

“After the launch of the integrated toll-free number (18005991500) to redress the passenger complaints, I registered my complaint on March 10. Within seconds of receiving the acknowledgement sms, I received another SMS stating that the complaint is resolved. I had to file the complaint again. After this, I received a call from the SETC official who informed me that the Royal Hotel was not on their approved list. Hence, they closed the complaint without resolving it,” he said.

Ramakrishnan who is a part of Arappor Iyakkam said that before the start of the journey, the driver would be given a document with details of the motel to stop. “Driver should not stop at unauthorised motels. It will lead to disciplinary action against him,” he said. He demanded the SETC publish the list of approved motels on highways on its newly launched website with a provision for the passengers to enter their feedback.

A senior SETC official said that the passenger complaints would be transferred to the concerned transport corporation for action. “Hotel Royal is not enlisted. Action will be taken against the bus crew for not stopping at the authorised motel,” the official said. On the complaints of food quality, the official said they would notify the concerned local bodies in this regard and also the transport corporation to take action.