Adoor: Kerala State Road Transport Corporation has paid Rs 82,000 as compensation to a teacher following the cancellation of a KSRTC Scania bus trip, according to the Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission. The Managing Director of KSRTC settled the payment, which exempted him from arrest proceedings.

The action followed a petition filed by Priya, a teacher at NSS Higher Secondary School in Choorakode, Adoor. On August 2, 2018, Priya had booked a ticket for a KSRTC Scania bus departing from Kottarakkara depot at 8.30 pm to meet her PhD guide in Mysore, paying Rs 1,003 for the online booking made on July 29.

Priya arrived at Kottarakkara bus station at 5 pm on August 1 itself. Despite two phone assurances that the bus would arrive shortly, it did not. After contacting the Thiruvananthapuram depot, she was informed at 9 pm that the bus had been cancelled.

She travelled 15 km by taxi to Kottarakkara and requested an alternative bus, but officials said none was available. Eventually, she caught a bus from Kayamkulam to Mysore at 11.55 pm, arriving at Mysore University at 11 am, three hours late, forcing her to cancel the meeting with her guide and extend her stay by three days.

Priya sought a refund for the cancelled ticket, which KSRTC initially refused. The commission found lapses on KSRTC’s part and ordered a refund of Rs 1,003 and compensation of Rs 82,555, along with court costs, to be paid by the KSRTC Managing Director. A warrant for the MD’s arrest was issued when the order was not initially complied with. The MD later paid the compensation.

The verdict was announced by Commission President Babychan Vechuchira and member Nishad Thankappan.