Sunday, April 30, 2006

over (Turbo) charged Mumbai

Day One.
Vasai Fort.
Purchase : Two bottles of Sprite.
Actual Price : 7 per bottle
Charged : 10 Rs.
Reason : Cooling charges.
When reminded about the pitfalls of overcharging, response was “I don’t care”
Demanded for a bill and he obliged by writing it on a piece of paper.
Day Two.
Gate way of India

Purchase: a bottle of mineral water and a soft drink.
Actual Price: 12 for Mineral water and 18 for soft drink.
Charged: 15 for Mineral water and 20 for soft drink
Reason. Cooling charges.
When he saw my SLR camera, and my insistence for the bill, he took me for a journalist and returned the excess. No bills here too.
Day Two.
Gateway of India

Purchase. A taxi ride from Gateway to Churchgate Railway Station
Actual Price: 13 to 15 according to traffic situation.
Charged. 26 Rs.
Reason. The cabbie took me on a round about way, thinking I don’t know my way around there. He took me to Nariman Point first then turning right to Churchgate station.

So much for consumer protection and “jaago grahak jaago” advertisement campaign.
Now I am planning to do a repeat of this with some officials. Can anyone give an advice as to how to go about it and whom to contact? Phone numbers in the respective areas are appreciated.

6 comments:

dhruv said...

Some months ago I tried the tollfree consumer help line thats given below the "Jaago grahak jaago" ads. Nobody picked up. Anyway, there was a big expose on overcharging customers and it didn't result in anything. Only thing that happened was that the reporters were just "roughed up" on camera.

Shinu Mathew said...

As much as I suspected. So is there any hope with this RoI act? (Right to info). I have made an online complain at one of these forums and lets see.

dhruv said...

there was but i think there were recent changes in some laws which kinda crippled it.

Rose said...

:P

Well, it happened to me as well the first few days i was in mumbai... I guess it was written on my face that i am a god-forsaken mallu lost in topsy turvy mumbai...

:)

..Me

Shinu Mathew said...

There is still some hope left. here is what I recieved from the core team
Dear Sir ,



Thanks for your mail .



In case you wish to register a new complaint , kindly do so at our site www.core.nic.in giving complete details .



However if it is an old complaint , please inform the reference number of our letter .



We shall take up your complaint with the Legal Metrology Deptt., by writing a letter to them.



Thanking You ,



Yours sincerely ,



A K Chandra
Senior Manager – Complaints Group

I lodged the complaint again. let's see.

Sarah said...

I was posted to Mumbai for 6 months, I left promising myself, never to come back.
I was cheated everyday of the 6 months, either by the autowala, shop owners,even the telecom...the beaurocracy was too much to bear, To change a prepaid to postpaid phone, giving my credit card, so they can automatically charge my card, they still needed a proof of my address, to ensure that I get my phone bill!!! and they didn't accept the tenancy agreement my company had with the landlord..
I would never, never, never go to Mumbai