CHENNAI: The mofussil buses operated by the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation’s (TNSTC) Villupuram division have been charging higher fare on weekends by classifying them as ultra-deluxe (UD) services.
While the per km fare for express buses is 75 paise, it is Rs 1 for ultra deluxe services. When express buses are operated as UD services, commuters end up paying 25% more for end-to-end travel. Short-distance travellers on deluxe buses are especially affected, as they have to pay higher fare.
For instance, a commuter who typically pays Rs 25 to travel from Ambattur Estate to Kilambakkam on the Madhavaram - Tiruvannamalai express bus is now charging Rs 40 on weekends. This is because the express bus, categorised as a UD service, has only one stage (for ticketing purposes) between Madhavaram and Kilambakkam.
As a result, commuters boarding at Ambattur Estate are required to pay for the full 40.5 km distance instead of the usual 29 km between Ambattur and Kilambakkam.
“The same blue and white bus (BS IV) that I have been using for days suddenly charged Rs 15 more. When I asked about this to the conductor, he said this is the fare for this bus. Without any additional benefits, I was charged Rs 40 for the same travel,” said a regular commuter.
Another commuter R Suresh remarked, “Except for one or two, almost all services are operated as deluxe services during extended holidays, forcing us to pay extra.”
Also, this practice is not limited to the Villupuram division. Buses operated by other corporations, including Salem, Coimbatore, and Madurai, also employ similar tactics, forcing commuters to pay more.
Officials, however, defended the decision saying that the buses are operated as deluxe services during extended holidays or festivals, to meet the higher demand. “When a bus is upgraded to ultra-deluxe, the number of stops is reduced, which decreases travel time and benefits end-to-end travellers. This also helps decongest bus terminals like KCBT, CMBT, and MMBT in Chennai and other districts,” an official stated.
Depot officials from Ambattur and MMBT said, “Conductors often stop buses at non-designated locations to pick up commuters and also inform them about the higher fare before allowing them to board.”