15-km walk to Vaishno Devi without ‘travel help’, agency to pay Rs 5 lakh to travellers
A Kerala consumer commission has ordered a travel agency to pay over Rs 5 lakh to a group of 22 tourists who were misled into walking 15 km to reach the Vaishno Devi Temple during their Kashmir trip. The 22-member tour group had booked accommodation, transport, and other arrangements through the agency, but the agency failed to deliver as promised.
The agent had convinced the group that they would receive the necessary facilities for temple visits and other activities in Kashmir, receiving Rs 21,000 from each member. However, when the group reached Katra Railway Station on March 22, 2025, no agency personnel were available to assist them. The complainant and his team had to walk 15 km to reach the Vaishno Devi Temple, incurring additional expenses.
The commission found the agency's irresponsible conduct liable for the financial loss suffered by the travellers, directing the agency to pay Rs 4.98 lakh within 60 days, along with Rs 3,000 for costs.
Written by urgent.news from The Indian Express's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
