Chennai: Those selling soft drinks on railway platforms are charging higher prices

Chennai: With the rising temperatures, the demand for water and other cold beverages has increased in the city. But some vendors at Chennai railway stations are charging higher prices for these, thereby violating consumer rights. When DT Next visited Central, Mambalam and Park stations and asked the vendors the price of cold drinks, the price they quoted was Rs 5 higher than the MRP. When asked about the extra charge at Mambalam, the staff said it was a mistake on their part, and started quoting the MRP. At other places, there was only silence from the vendors. “The drinking water sold by the railways, Rail Neer, is also sold at a higher price. Rail Neer is priced at Rs 15 per litre, but it is sold at Rs 20. Passengers should check the MRP before buying it, and the railways should conduct proper inspections to eliminate such issues,” said K. Bhaskar, secretary of the Tiruvallur Railway Passengers Association. In most cases, passengers are in a hurry to catch their train, and so ignore the MRP and pay the price quoted to them. Sellers take advantage of this and charge more. The maximum retail price (MRP) is the final price that includes taxes. In India, charging more than the MRP is illegal under the Legal Metrology Act of 2009, which also mandates clearly displaying the MRP and other details on the product. “Charging more than the MRP is a violation of consumer rights. There are also cases where the MRP print has been covered with stickers or the print has been removed from products,” said consumer activist J Jayakumar. “Departments should ensure that the price is charged at the displayed rate and inspections should be done regularly, not only when a complaint is made. Consumers should also be educated about their rights as many still do not know about MRP.” When contacted, an official from the Chennai division of Southern Railway said, “The issue will be looked into. If anyone is found charging more than the MRP, action will be taken against them.”