Wedding Barat reaches venue at 3 am after bus breakdown; Delhi consumer court orders ₹64,000 compensation

A District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in Delhi has directed a transport service provider to pay ₹64,000 along with interest to a man after a bus hired for his wedding barat allegedly broke down midway, causing major delays and inconvenience during the ceremony.

According to a report by Bar and Bench, the consumer forum held the transport operator guilty of “deficiency in service” and observed that delays during wedding ceremonies can result in emotional distress and embarrassment for families and guests.

The order was passed by Commission President Divya Jyoti Jaipuriar and Member Rashmi Bansal.

While hearing the case, the Commission highlighted the importance of timely arrangements during marriages, especially in traditional ceremonies such as a barat procession.

“Considering the nature of the occasion, the extent of inconvenience caused, the delay in reaching the destination, and the resultant mental agony and social embarrassment suffered by the complainant, this Commission is of the considered view that compensation should be just, reasonable, and proportionate to the circumstances of the case,” the Commission observed.

The forum eventually ordered the transport service provider to refund ₹14,000 along with 6% annual interest from the date of the journey. It also awarded ₹50,000 as compensation for “mental agony, harassment, and inconvenience”.

The Commission further said the amount must be paid within 30 days, failing which the operator would have to pay 9% annual interest until the payment is made.

As per the complaint, the man had booked the bus on October 25, 2022 for his wedding barat scheduled on December 8, 2022, travelling from Delhi to Bulandshahr.

The agreed amount for the booking was ₹18,500. The complainant said he paid ₹2,000 in advance and another ₹12,000 a day before the journey.

According to the complaint, the bus was expected to arrive at 2:30 PM on the wedding day but allegedly reached nearly two hours late, causing inconvenience to relatives and guests who had gathered for the procession.

The situation reportedly worsened later in the night when the vehicle allegedly took a longer route via Jewar and broke down around midnight.

The complaint stated that the wedding procession was left stranded nearly 58 km before reaching the destination.

Faced with the emergency situation late at night, the complainant reportedly had to arrange an alternative vehicle so that the barat could continue.

The procession eventually reached the wedding venue around 3 AM, several hours after the scheduled wedding rituals.

Taking note of the circumstances, the Commission observed:

“In the present case, the complainant was compelled to arrange alternative transport at midnight under emergent circumstances, causing considerable anxiety, stress, and mental agony. The conduct of the OP2 has resulted in avoidable disruption of the marriage procession and consequent hardship to the complainant.”

The Commission also noted that the transport operator failed to establish that the bus had reached the pickup point on time or that effective contingency arrangements were made after the breakdown.

According to the order, even if the chosen route could be considered acceptable, the operator could not avoid liability once the bus failed during the journey and timely assistance was not provided.

The forum additionally rejected the operator’s argument regarding partial payment.

“It is settled that compensation under the Consumer Protection Act is not confined merely to actual financial loss but also extends to compensation for harassment, inconvenience, and mental agony. In cases where the deficiency affects an important personal event, the impact of such deficiency assumes greater significance,” the Commission noted.

The Commission said that once the operator accepted ₹14,000 from the complainant, it created a binding obligation to provide the agreed transport service.