DEPOT MANAGER APSRTC Vs. DISTRICT CONSUMER COUNCIL TIRUPTAHTI

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This is a Revision Petition filed by the opposite parties who were arrayed in the complaint as opposite party Nos. 1 to 3 respectively. The complaint was filed before the District Forum, Chittor by the present respondent, District Consumer Council. The District Forum directed the opposite parties to run the shuttle bus services reaching Srikalahasthi from Tirupathi, Gankatagiri and other places to go into the town without terminating their services at the end of the bridge over Swarnamukhi river. Feeling aggrieved against that order the present petitioners who are the different officials of Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (for short the Corporation) filed appeal before the State Commission Disputes Redressal Commission, Andhra Pradesh at Hyderabad. The State Commission dismissed the appeal. Hence the present Revision Petition impugning the order of the State Commission. The parties will be referred to by their nomenclature as in the complaint.

(2.) In the complaint the allegations were to the effect that the Corporation was running shuttle bus services between Srikalahasti and Venkatagiri and from some other places. In the case of incoming buses to Srikalahasti the buses have to pass over the bridge over Swarnamukhi river to reach bus station of Srikalahasti which is at a distance of about 2 kms. from the other side of the bridge. Now the buses are being terminated at the other side of the bridge and the passengers have to make their own arrangements to reach the bus station or the town of Srikalahasti. The matterwas taken up with the Depot Manager of Srikalahasti but he was throwing blame on the Traffic Police of Srikalahasti. The matterwas enquired with the traffic police who informed the complainant that additional personnel were deputed to regulate the traffic at Srikalahasti and also at the bridge point near Swarnamukhi river. Thus there was no justification for the Corporation to terminate the shuttle services at the other point of the bridge causing inconvenience to the passengers on the plea of traffic problem. It was further averred by the complainant that other express service buses are going upto the RTC bus station and it is only the shuttle services which are terminated at the bridge point. Hence it was prayed by the complainant that the opposite parties be directed not to terminate the bus services at the bridge point and to operate the same upto the bus station of Srikalahasti.

(3.) The opposite parties in their statement of objections admitted that the shuttle services were being terminated at the bridge point. According to them the bus station is only 1 km. away from that point. The shuttle services are terminated at the bridge point due to increase of traffic and to avoid traffic Jams on account of direction of Municipal Administration and police and law and order situation. There was a meeting in this connection between the Sub-Divisional Police Officer, Srikalahasti Temple and the opposite parties and it was decided to put up passenger shed at the central point opposite ZPP Guest House and to terminate the incoming shuttle a services at that point to relieve traffic congestion. This decision was taken in the interest of public.