Fares for government AC sleeper buses may be reduced during weekends

Proposal to slash 10-20 paise per km aimed at attracting passengers.
Image for representational purpose only.
Image for representational purpose only.

CHENNAI : The fares for recently introduced airconditioned sleeper buses and non-AC sleeper buses are likely to be slashed by 10 to 20 paise per km during weekends. This means fares for the AC sleeper buses operated on the Chennai-Madurai, Chennai-Tirunelveli, Chennai-Sivakasi and Chennai-Bodi routes will be cut by Rs 95 to Rs 135. Similarly, fares for non-AC sleeper buses, semi sleeper buses with attached toilet and AC seater buses are likely to come down by Rs 50 per ticket for a distance of upto 500 km. 

The State Express Transport Corporation (SETC) recently sent a proposal in this regard to the government.  “Currently Rs 2 is being charged per km between Thursday and Sunday, while Rs 1.8 is collected for the rest of the days for AC sleeper buses. We have proposed to reduce the fare to Rs 1.8 per km during weekends as well,” said a highly placed official in the SETC. Similarly, the state transport undertakings, which cater for long-distance routes above 300 km, have also proposed to reduce the fares for non-AC sleeper buses to Rs 1.35 to Rs 1.45 per km during weekends, as against the current fare of Rs 1.55

“For ultra deluxe buses with attached toilet also, fare cut has been proposed by 5 paise per km during weekends,” added the SETC official.  The proposal is a fallout of poor patronage during weekends owing to higher fares. It is learnt that the SETC had to cancel many AC bus services as the buses did not get the 40 per cent occupancy. Presently, the AC sleeper buses connect Chennai with Madurai, Tirunelveli, Sivakasi, Bodi, Gobichettipalayam, Keezhakarai, Bengaluru, Salem and Thoothukudi. And, the Coimbatore-Bengaluru route has also got AC sleeper bus service.

The government AC sleeper bus charges Rs 1,320 (online Rs. 1,371) per ticket between Chennai and Tirunelveli, while the private omnibuses collect somewhere between Rs 1,000 and Rs 1,100 per  ticket for the same distance. Chennai-Madurai fare in state-owned AC sleeper bus is Rs 975 (online `1,024) as against the private omnibus fare of Rs 850 to Rs 900. 

Regular bus commuter S Kalivarathan of Bodi, a government employee, said the decision to collect higher fare was ill-advised. “Private omnibuses charge Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,050 from Chennai to Bodi during festivals and marriage seasons, on other days, the fares will be between Rs 700 to Rs 800. However, the SETC fare is Rs 1,110,” he said. SETC officials said they were awaiting official orders on the revised fares in a few days. 

Close watch

  •  AC sleeper buses connect Chennai with Madurai, Tirunelveli, Sivakasi, Bodi, Gobichettipalayam, Keezhakarai, Bengaluru, Salem and Thoothukudi.
  •  SETC has proposed to cut fares by 20 paise per km for AC sleeper, 10 paise for non-AC sleeper buses
  • Occupancy as low as 40 per cent forced the SETC to cancel many AC services in the last one month. 
  • The Chennai-Tirunelveli fare is Rs 1320, while private omnibuses charges between Rs1,000 to Rs 1,100
  • Chennai-Madurai fare is Rs 975, as against private omnibuses charges of Rs 850-900.  

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