The Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC) has assured RTL users they have not been charged for services they did not use, explaining that delayed fare deduction messages received by some customers were caused by server maintenance.

Speaking on MMTV's Bodu Khabaru programme, MTCC Transport Department Manager Mohamed Nashmee said customers began reporting the messages last weekend after maintenance was carried out on the separate server used to process RTL payment transactions.

He said some payments for previous journeys remained unprocessed while the maintenance work was underway and were processed once it was completed, resulting in customers receiving delayed deduction messages. Nashmee said the notifications relate only to previous journeys and do not represent incorrect charges.

Customers can verify the transactions using the reference number included in each message, which corresponds to an earlier journey. He added that customers would only be charged for services they had used and would not lose money on journeys they had not taken.

RTL is the Government's nationwide public transport network providing bus and ferry services across the Maldives, with many passengers using Bank of Maldives debit and credit cards to pay their fares. MTCC advised customers seeking further information or assistance to contact the company's hotline on 1650.