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The total compensation awarded reportedly came to nearly Rs 64,000. (Image: AI generated)

NEW DELHI: A District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in Delhi has directed a transport service provider to pay compensation of around Rs 64,000 to a family after a delay in a wedding procession caused by a bus breakdown led to significant inconvenience and mental agony, as per a Bar and Bench report.President Divya Jyoti Jaipuriar and Member Rashmi Bansal held the service provider guilty of deficiency in service.The dispute arose after the complainant booked a bus on October 25, 2022, for his wedding party scheduled on December 8, 2022, from Delhi to Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh, paying Rs 2,000 in advance, along with Rs 12,000 a day prior to the journey.The bus was supposed to arrive at 2:30 PM on the wedding day. However, it got delayed by two hours and later allegedly took a longer route and broke down around midnight, leaving the wedding procession stranded around 58 km away from its destination, the complainant said.The barat finally reached the venue at around 3:00 AM, hours after the scheduled time for the rituals, causing embarrassment, inconvenience and disruption to the marriage ceremony, he further added.“Considering the nature of the occasion, the extent of inconvenience caused, the delay in reaching the destination, and the resultant mental agony and social embarrassment suffered by the complainant, this Commission is of the considered view that compensation should be just, reasonable, and proportionate to the circumstances of the case,” the Commission said.The consumer commission observed that once a transport operator accepts payment for a service, it is duty-bound to ensure proper arrangements and timely transportation. The failure to provide an alternative vehicle within a reasonable time amounted to deficiency in service under consumer protection laws.The Commission directed the transport service provider to refund Rs 14,000 along with 6 percent annual interest from the date of the journey, along with paying Rs 50,000 as compensation for mental agony, harassment and inconvenience.The defendant claimed that the bus breakdown was beyond its control and constituted an unforeseen mechanical issue.However, the commission noted that merely citing technical problems could not absolve a service provider of responsibility, particularly when no immediate backup arrangements were made for passengers, as reported by Bar and Bench.Taking note of the inconvenience suffered by the wedding party, the commission directed the operator to pay compensation, including amounts towards mental agony, harassment and litigation costs.The total compensation awarded reportedly came to nearly Rs 64,000.“It is settled that compensation under the Consumer Protection Act is not confined merely to actual financial loss but also extends to compensation for harassment, inconvenience, and mental agony. In cases where the deficiency affects an important personal event, the impact of such deficiency assumes greater significance,” the Commission noted.The ruling reiterates that transport and travel operators can be held liable for lapses in service that cause avoidable hardship to consumers, especially during important personal events such as weddings.The Commission further directed that the compensation amount be paid within 30 days, failing which it would carry an annual interest of 9 percent until the payment is cleared.