If bus operators collect exorbitant fares from passengers, their vehicles will be impounded — this is the staple warning issued by the Transport Department every time passengers are taken for a ride during long holidays when there is a huge rush.
However, a majority of omni bus operators blatantly sell tickets at very high rates online unmindful of the diktat of the transport authorities. For Sunday night (October 4), a ticket from Madurai to Chennai costs Rs. 1,250 and Rs. 1,799.
With the long weekend, tagged on to the public holiday on Gandhi Jayanthi, coming to an end on Sunday, there is a huge rush of people from southern districts, returning to their places of work from their native places. While regular omni bus operators maintain that tickets are full for Sunday, they advise their customers to check online for tickets.
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Not knowing about the difference in the price, many purchase tickets online to ensure that they will be able to report for work on Monday. Utilising this, the operators had preferred to sell tickets online, agents say.
The omni buses have only contract permit and not stage permit. Hence, they can only transport a group of passengers from one point to another and not collect fare individually. It is a blatant case of violation, officials admit.
A Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation official says that the government should take stern action against erring omni bus operators. Since it remains a mute spectator, the public get an impression that officials were hand-in-glove with private operators who fleece passengers.
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Be it Deepavali or Christmas holidays, the State-run buses collect uniform fare, the official says. The non-A/c bus fare for Madurai to Chennai is Rs. 325, and Rs. 360 for Madurai to Bangalore. Air-conditioned bus fare for Chennai is Rs. 420. The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) charges Rs. 496 for ordinary bus and Rs. 655 for semi-sleeper.
Transport corporation union representatives say that by selling tickets individually to passengers online, that too at a very high price, the omni bus operators have made a clear violation. Passengers cannot be exploited this way as it would only erode the image of the ruling party, they say.