4 months ago
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Passengers travelling from Tiruchi to assorted destinations and vice-versa during the Pongal festival person complained that respective backstage omnibus operators person sharply accrued summons fares, with prices astir doubling compared to regular days.
With the festive play witnessing a surge successful demand, galore backstage operators person allegedly taken vantage of the rush, charging exorbitant rates, peculiarly for AC sleeper and semi-sleeper services. Commuters reported that fares, which usually stay wrong an affordable range, person risen steeply successful the days starring up to Pongal, leaving travellers with constricted options.
Bus fares from Tiruchi to Chennai, Coimbatore, Tirunelveli, and Madurai person surged connected online booking platforms. On Wednesday, fares displayed for the Chennai to Tiruchi way ranged from ₹2,700 to ₹3,350 for AC sleeper buses, portion non-AC sleeper fares ranged betwixt ₹1,400 and ₹2,300 during the highest question play from January 14 to 18. Passengers travelling to confederate districts said fares were adjacent higher, alleging that operators charged much than the online rates erstwhile tickets were purchased straight astatine autobus stands.
“Fare has doubled compared to what we usually pay. We had nary enactment but to book. On mean days, I wage astir ₹1,200 for an AC sleeper bus, but present it is much than ₹2,500. This benignant of hike is unfair,” said a commuter heading to Kanyakumari.
Passengers besides said authorities buses were either afloat booked oregon precise fewer successful number, allowing backstage operators to instrumentality vantage of the situation. They expressed interest that the abrupt fare hike had placed an further fiscal load connected families returning to their hometowns for the harvest festival. Many said they were forced to publication tickets astatine inflated prices owed to the urgency of question during the holidays.
