TIRUCHY: Another Pongal is here but little seems to have changed in regard to easing holiday travel plans for the public as several private omni bus operators have increased ticket fares by as much as Rs 4,500 for travelling from Chennai to Tiruchy – twice as much the proposed rate – during January 12-17. With the fare chart finalised by the state government and omni bus associations hardly being adhered to, passengers say the solution lies in increasing the number of special trains and government buses during such periods when demand peaks.
As per the 2022 fare chart agreed upon by the state government and omni bus associations, the approved ticket fare for travel from Chennai to Tiruchy is Rs 1,980. The fares for travel to other delta destinations from Chennai include Rs 1,900 for Tiruvarur, Rs 1,980 for Mayiladuthurai and Rs 2,130 for Thanjavur and Pudukkottai, depending on the bus category.
Passengers, however, complain that most operators charge well above Rs 2,000 across routes this festive season. The prices as reflected on private ticket booking applications show the average fare during the period as hovering over Rs 2,000 and Rs 2,500. M Karthik, a private sector employee travelling to Tiruchy from Chennai, said, “Train tickets are getting booked within minutes of reservation opening, particularly for travel to Tiruchy and southern districts. The railway should operate more special trains during festival seasons like Pongal.”
He also called for periodic rationalisation of fares in line with rising operational costs on a yearly basis. Meanwhile, Minister for Transport S S Sivasankar during an interaction with media persons in Ariyalur on Sunday evening told that bookings in state-run buses increased significantly this Pongal. “Compared to last year, advance bookings in SETC and TNSTC buses have increased by nearly one lakh, indicating that more passengers are opting for public transport,” he said.
On fare hikes by omni buses, the minister said many passengers who earlier relied on private operators were now shifting to government buses. While fare increase may have occurred on routes where long-distance government services are not available, no formal complaints had been received so far, he added. “If complaints are received, strict action will be taken,” he also said, adding that enforcement teams led by regional transport officers are conducting daily inspections across districts.