📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Destination8infinity
Business
Kerala travel firm ordered to pay Rs 15.83 lakh after pilgrimage trip cancellation
✍️ The Indian Express
🗓 08 Sep 2026, 12:21 AM
👁 3
A Kerala-based travel company has been directed to compensate customers with Rs 15.83 lakh after it cancelled a scheduled pilgrimage tour to holy sites.
A travel operator headquartered in Kerala has been instructed to pay a total compensation of Rs 15.83 lakh to passengers after it called off a planned pilgrimage tour to several holy destinations. The cancellation left many devotees disappointed, as the trip had been marketed as a once‑in‑a‑lifetime spiritual journey.
Affected travelers expressed frustration over the abrupt notice, noting that they had made advance bookings and incurred non‑refundable expenses. Consumer rights groups highlighted the case as a reminder that travel agencies must honour commitments, especially for religious tours that carry emotional significance.
The company, which declined to comment on the specifics of the settlement, said it would comply with the directive and process the payments promptly. Legal experts said the amount reflects both the fare refunds and additional compensation for inconvenience caused to the pilgrims.
The incident underscores growing scrutiny of tour operators in India, with authorities urging stricter adherence to consumer protection norms for all travel packages, including those linked to religious pilgrimages.
Affected travelers expressed frustration over the abrupt notice, noting that they had made advance bookings and incurred non‑refundable expenses. Consumer rights groups highlighted the case as a reminder that travel agencies must honour commitments, especially for religious tours that carry emotional significance.
The company, which declined to comment on the specifics of the settlement, said it would comply with the directive and process the payments promptly. Legal experts said the amount reflects both the fare refunds and additional compensation for inconvenience caused to the pilgrims.
The incident underscores growing scrutiny of tour operators in India, with authorities urging stricter adherence to consumer protection norms for all travel packages, including those linked to religious pilgrimages.