Private bus operators are cashing in on the festival season as fares on various routes have increased by at least ₹300 per ticket.
As the Navaratri weekend comes to a close and Deepavali inches closer, bus operators from the Omni Bus Stand in Madurai say the rates on online platforms will reach a base price of ₹1,300 to Chennai and Bengaluru for an airconditioned sleeper berth. This is normally priced between ₹700 and ₹800. A non-AC sleeper bus ticket will cost between ₹600 and ₹1,000. On other days, it is only ₹400.
S. Rajkiran, a student heading to Bengaluru on Sunday, said, “They are taking full advantage of the fact that people would be travelling to meet family and friends and are irrationally hiking rates.”
Profitable routes
A total of 80 buses will ply on November 5, the day before of Deepavali, including buses that do not require pre-booked seats.
Maximum number of buses will be operated to Chennai, Bengaluru and Puducherry, said E. Azhagendran, manager, Egloo Travels.
A member of the Tamil Nadu Omni Bus Owners’ Association, requesting anonymity, said private bus operators barely made any profit during the Tamil month of ‘Purattasi’.
Very few buses plied with full occupancy as there were not many holidays during the month. The recent diesel price hike had contributed to the inflated rates, he said.
“All popular and ‘branded’ omni buses have increased their total fare by ₹200 each while others have increased it by ₹100. Formal rates will be finalised by the association on October 27. The rates could swing between ₹700 and ₹1,300 since Deepavali falls on a Tuesday — an odd day of the week for companies to provide holidays. Government-run buses are giving us tough competition as well,” he said.
