NEW DELHI: A district consumer commission in Punjab has directed MakeMyTrip to refund Rs 18,775 to a consumer after two hotel properties booked through its platform were found to be non-existent. The commission also awarded Rs 25,000 compensation and Rs 5,000 litigation costs in an order passed on September 17, 2026.Why did the consumer approach the commission?As per the commission order, Rajesh Chohan had booked a family room at Hotel Heritage Rose Inn in Srinagar for December 27-28, 2025, for Rs 5,788. He also booked two rooms at Hotel Apple Tree Resorts in Gulmarg for December 28-29 for Rs 12,987.The complainant, Chohan, who was travelling with his wife and two children, said the Srinagar property did not exist at the listed location and was instead a private homestay. He then arranged a alternative accommodation.The next day, the family reached Gulmarg and found that the second hotel which they’ve booked was also not there.The family then spent their whole night in the car in sub-zero temperatures of -4°C, according to the order. The complainant further alleged that they could not use their pre-booked Gondola tickets and returned to Gurdaspur the very next day. He also claimed that despite repeated communications, MakeMyTrip failed to provide any satisfactory assistance or a refund for their bookings.However, the MakeMyTrip claimed that it was only an online intermediary and booking facilitator and did not own or operate the hotels listed on its platform. It argued that the hotel owners should have been made parties to the complaint.The company further claimed that the hotels had informed it that the complainant had not approached them and had marked the bookings as “no show”. It said that it had tried to obtain a refund but the hotels refused under their non-refundable booking policy.Why did the commission hold MakeMyTrip responsible?The bench of President Lalit Mohan Dogra along with member B S Matharu rejected the argument that MakeMyTrip could avoid consumer liability by describing itself as an intermediary. It noted that the platform had collected the full payment and issued confirmed booking vouchers.“An e-commerce platform that collects full payment, issues confirmed booking vouchers, and promises verified hotel accommodations cannot escape from its responsibility when the listed properties turn out to be non-existent or misrepresented,” the commission said.The commission also rejected the objection that the hotel owners had not been made parties, noting that the consumer had directly paid the amount to MakeMyTrip and received booking confirmations from it.The consumer commission also found that the Srinagar property was a private homestay and that the Gulmarg hotel was non-existent. It also rejected MakeMyTrip’s “no show” explanation, noting that the consumer could not check in to a hotel that did not physically exist.“We are of view that due to the non-existence of the Gulmarg property, combined with severe snowfall and sub-zero conditions (-4°C), the complainant and his family including his wife and two adult children were forced to sleep overnight inside their vehicle,” the commission noted.The commission further noted that the consumer had sent communications during the stay period, while MakeMyTrip did not produce satisfactory material showing that the confirmed accommodation had been offered and voluntarily declined.The commission held MakeMyTrip liable for negligence, deficiency in service and unfair trade practice for listing non-existent properties and failing to assist the stranded family.It ordered the company to jointly and severally refund Rs 18,775 with 9 percent annual interest from December 25, 2025, until actual payment. It also awarded Rs 25,000 for physical harassment, mental agony and financial loss, besides Rs 5,000 towards litigation expenses.