A district consumer disputes redressal forum here has directed a private cab company to compensate a complainant by paying ₹15,000 after it was alleged that the passenger had to wait for over 30 minutes for the cab booked by him, which eventually failed to arrive.
Proper communication
Directing the Meru Cabs to compensate the complainant, the consumer panel held, “In case of any exceptional circumstances and non-availability of cab, proper communication to the complainant ought to have been given in time so that he could make for some alternative. The [company] in the garb of uncommunicated terms and conditions cannot be allowed to take shelter of such terms and conditions which have been alleged to be applicable.”
The company had however contended that the cab failed to arrive at the pick-up point due to “technical faults.”
‘Technical faults’
“It is stated that the vehicle could not reach the destination because of technical faults as ascertained from the activity report and the said reason was beyond the control of the company. Further, it is stated that the complainant had not suffered any loss due to the unavailability of the cab,” read the contentions made by the company.
However, rejecting the arguments made by the company and directing it to compensate the complainant, the consumer panel observed, “Once a booking has been confirmed and the customer has agreed to pay the consideration cost for the intended hired services, the opposite party without cancellation of booking, cannot opt out to provide the services to the complainant.”
The directions came when the consumer forum was hearing a plea moved by city resident Amitabh Narayan who alleged that Meru Cabs failed to provide services for a cab ride booked from the Delhi High Court to Daryaganj.
