A toll plaza operator in Karauli district has faced a harsh financial blow after penalising a motorist an unlawful extra sum of merely 20 rupees. Taking a strict view of the unfair trade practice, the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission ruled that collecting money beyond the designated slab amounts to a clear deficiency in service, ordering the firm to pay a total penalty of 32000 rupees.
Phelipura Toll Booth Ignored Return Journey Rules
The dispute emerged at the Phelipura toll plaza when staff members billed a driver 45 rupees despite the vehicle being eligible for standard return journey concession norms. The driver pointed out that charging full rates instead of honoring the two-way transit guidelines directly violated toll rules. Confronted with the stubborn overcharge of 20 rupees, the driver chose to lodge a formal complaint before the district consumer commission rather than letting the minor sum slide.
Consumer Commission Holds Operator Accountable
During the proceedings, the consumer forum thoroughly reviewed the facts and determined that the operator had acted unlawfully by extracting funds above the legal tariff. The bench, comprising President Shailendra Singh and Member Surendra Chaturvedi, concluded that this unlawful exaction caused avoidable harassment to the citizen. Consequently, the panel directed the toll plaza operator to refund the illegally collected 20 rupees along with an interest of 18 percent per annum.
Compensation for Mental Agony and Litigation Expenses
To compensate for the stress caused by the dispute, the court directed the operator to pay 25000 rupees for mental agony endured by the complainant. In addition, the firm must pay 7000 rupees to cover the driver's litigation and case expenses. The commission has given the management a strict deadline of one month to execute the complete payment of 32000 rupees.
