Intercity bus - Mental Harassment and Financial Loss Due to LastMinute Cancellation and Forced Rescheduling by Inter

**Complaint Details**

I booked an IntrCity SmartBus ticket through redBus for travel from Bangalore to Pune on **** June ******, with a scheduled departure time of ***:** PM**.

At approximately ***:** PM on the day of travel**, I received a WhatsApp message informing me that my bus had been cancelled by the operator due to alleged operational or technical reasons. This information was communicated less than four hours before the scheduled departure time.

Immediately upon receiving the cancellation message, I contacted the bus operator to explore alternatives. During the discussion, I explained that any replacement bus departing significantly earlier or from a different boarding location would not be feasible because of the extremely short notice. Despite this, no suitable alternative transportation was arranged. Instead, the booking was effectively cancelled, leaving me with no practical means of undertaking my planned journey.

The operator and booking platform subsequently processed a refund and treated the matter as resolved. However, merely refunding the ticket amount does not compensate for the actual losses and inconvenience caused.

My travel was planned specifically so that I could be present in Pune on **** June and ** June**. Due to the last-minute cancellation and lack of any reasonable alternative arrangement:

*. My travel plans were completely disrupted.
*. I was unable to reach Pune as scheduled.
*. I had to work from home on Thursday due to the failed travel arrangement.
*. I was compelled to apply for leave on Friday because my planned schedule could no longer be accommodated.
*. I had to postpone my journey until the weekend, resulting in additional inconvenience and personal hardship.
*. Items purchased in Bangalore to be carried to Pune, including sweets and other perishables, could not be delivered as intended, resulting in monetary loss.
*. I suffered significant mental stress, inconvenience, and disruption of both personal and professional commitments.

Furthermore, I raised a formal complaint through redBus. The complaint was registered under a support ticket; however, it was closed shortly thereafter with the refund being treated as the sole resolution. The complaint did not address the substantial inconvenience, professional disruption, and consequential losses arising from the operator's failure to provide the contracted transportation service.

A consumer who books transportation in advance is entitled to expect that the service will be provided as scheduled or that adequate alternative arrangements will be made in case of cancellation. Cancelling a journey at the last moment, failing to provide a practical substitute, and treating a refund as a complete resolution constitute a clear deficiency in service and unfair treatment of a consumer.

**Relief Sought**

*. Compensation for mental agony, inconvenience, and harassment caused by the last-minute cancellation.
*. Compensation for professional disruption, including the loss of planned travel and forced leave from work.
*. Compensation for consequential losses incurred due to the cancellation.
*. Appropriate action against IntrCity SmartBus and redBus for deficiency in service.
*. Any other relief deemed fit and proper by the competent authority.

**Supporting Evidence**

* Original ticket booking confirmation.
* Bus cancellation message received at approximately *:** PM on the day of travel.
* Refund notification.
* Complaint registration and closure messages from redBus.
* Any work records demonstrating the need to work from home and take leave due to the cancellation.