Rising fares amidst holiday demand raise concerns for commuters during the festive season.
As the Christmas and New Year festivities approach, bus travel has become significantly more expensive for many commuters, especially those utilizing private operators. Passengers traveling from Bengaluru are experiencing steep ticket prices, leading to calls for increased oversight of private bus companies.
Private bus operators are being scrutinized for capitalizing on the surge in demand, with fares for popular routes such as Bengaluru to Hyderabad soaring to ₹3,799 and Bengaluru to Mangaluru reaching ₹2,148 over the past week.
Meena Rao, a tech professional who recently traveled from Bengaluru to Udupi, expressed frustration, stating, “This issue recurs every festival and long weekend. Despite ongoing complaints, the government has yet to implement effective measures to curtail fare hikes.”
The fare increase issue is not confined to private services; Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) buses have also seen fare hikes. Commuter Dechamma M.V. noted, “I usually pay ₹654 for a trip between Gonikoppal and Bengaluru, but this time, I was charged ₹711.”
Calls for Government Action
The Transport Department has announced intentions to take action against fare violations, promising to impose penalties for surge pricing. Officials emphasized that KSRTC will add extra buses during peak times to reduce demand on private operators.
However, many passengers remain skeptical. Frequent traveler Rajesh Imdapur stated, “While announcements of surprise checks and new regulations sound promising, they lack real enforcement, leaving us to confront inflated fares.”
In defense of surge pricing, a representative from the Federation of Karnataka State Private Transport Associations explained, “Surge pricing allows us to confront the financial difficulties inherent in our industry. Our buses might be fully booked on peak travel days, but occupancy drops significantly on other days, making it hard to maintain operations without variable pricing during high-demand periods.”
Air Travel Price Increases
The trend of rising prices is also affecting air travel, with flight fares climbing 20-30%. Popular destinations such as Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi, and Mumbai are experiencing these increases, which are expected to last until early January.
Pratham K.N., an employee from Jayanagar, highlighted his experience: “I needed to book tickets to Mumbai for December 31. Trains were fully booked, and bus prices were nearly equivalent to flights. I ultimately paid ₹6,000 for a flight, which would typically only cost ₹3,500-₹4,000.”
Published – December 31, 2024 06:39 am IST
