Pilgrimage trip gone wrong

The complainant had booked two tickets for the pilgrimage travel to the places covering Puri, Kashi, Ayodhya, Prayagraj Sangam in Uttar Pradesh, arranged by IRCTC. According to the complaint, the tour was originally scheduled to commence from Kochuveli railway station on December 10, 2022. The complainant alleged that IRCTC shifted the boarding point to Ernakulam, forcing the couple to hire a taxi at their own expense. They further said that the train eventually departed only at around 2 am on December 11 after a delay of nearly 17 hours.

The complainant further alleged that because of the delay, several promised destinations were skipped or their duration was reduced. She said the family was deprived of performing important religious rituals. The complaint also cited substandard accommodation, unhygienic food, and lack of proper guidance during the journey.

IRCTC denied the allegations and said that the change in the boarding point was necessitated by operational reasons of the Railways and that passengers had been informed in advance. It said refunds for travel between Kochuveli and Ernakulam were offered, waiting arrangements and meals were provided during the delay, and the disruptions were caused by railway operational issues and cyclone-related restrictions.

The commission observed that instead of denying the allegations of inconveniences caused to the complainant and the other co-passengers IRCTC was trying to find out a reason for justifying those inconveniences caused to the tour participants by narrating different situation which led to the inconvenience.

After examining the evidence, the commission found IRCTC guilty of deficiency in service and held it liable to compensate the complainant. “From the averments in the written version filed by the opposite party itself, it is evident that the tour participants have suffered lot of inconveniences during the tour period,” the order read.

The commission therefore directed IRCTC to pay Rs 30,000 as compensation along with Rs 3,000 as litigation cost.

Takeaway

The ruling reinforces that tour operators cannot escape liability for poor planning and communication by blaming operational issues. It emphasised that package tour organisers are responsible for ensuring the promised itinerary is substantially delivered.

For consumer-related grievances, individuals may contact the consumer helpline in their respective states and Union territories (Kerala: 1800-425-1550) or call the National Consumer Helpline at 1915 for assistance.