Consumer forum faults BMTC for issuing wrong pass

Rs-10,000 compensation awarded to senior citizen

A consumer forum here has ordered the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) to pay Rs 10,000 as compensation to a senior citizen for causing mental agony to him by issuing an invalid monthly pass.

The 3rd Additional Bangalore District Consumer Disputes’ Redressal Forum gave the order on a complaint filed by S Sangameshwaran, a 67-year-old resident of Banashankari 3rd Stage.

Forum president H S Ramakrishna and member L Mamatha directed the BMTC’s general manager (traffic) to pay the compensation in 30 days, failing which an interest of 18% must be paid from the date of the order till the date of realisation. The forum also directed the corporation to refund Rs 945 towards the pass and Rs 1,000 as litigation cost.

Sangameshwaran had bought the pass at the Majestic bus stand in May 2015, but the BMTC officials punched the month of validity as April 2015. The senior citizen was not allowed to verify the particulars, citing long queue.

Sangameshwaran didn’t realise the inaccuracy and went on to travel by BMTC bus. During one such travel, a BMTC ticket inspector checked the pass and found it inaccurate. The inspector shouted at him for travelling on an invalid pass, fined him Rs 200 and deboarded him.

RTI application

When Sangameshwaran went to the counter where he had bought the pass, the staff asked him to approach the BMTC head office in Shanthinagar. Determined to make the BMTC pay for its mistake, Sangameshwaran filed an RTI application.

The reply affirmed that it was the BMTC’s fault. Then he moved the forum, accusing the BMTC of “deficiency of service” for not providing proper service to the commuter.