THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) has started a special drive from Sunday to prevent inter-state bus operators from charging exorbitant fares during the festive season.
The development comes in the wake of complaints that bus operators are fleecing people visiting the state for the Vishu-Easter holidays.
While KSRTC, the state public transport carrier, charges a minimum of Rs 1,293 for a seat from Bengaluru to Ernakulam, private bus operators are charging up to Rs 5,000 (over 200% of the regular fare). The MVD has asked the travelling passengers to register complaints on the WhatsApp numbers of regional transport officers to curb the fleecing.
However, in the absence of a fixed charge approved by the government, it might be difficult for MVD to press charges against the bus operators. Meanwhile, enforcement officers maintain that they can take action, including cancelling the permit for even vehicles with All India Permit.
“We can take action based on passenger complaints against abnormal fare hikes. Though there is no minimum fare fixed, the action is based on the percentage increase from the standard fare charged on this route,” said an officer.
Apart from permit violations, the enforcement squad will conduct vehicle checks to find other violations.
Meanwhile, bus operators said that officers should not involve in indiscriminate action without defining ‘overcharging’.
The organisation has made known its disagreement with the department’s stand to take action without fixing the minimum rate, said Rijas A J, the state chairman of the Bus and Car Operators Confederation of India (BOCI).
“The government should have convened a meeting before the season to arrive at a consensus on minimum fare slab. We should be allowed to raise the fare by 25-30% during the season as such moves are employed by the railways and the airlines,” Rijas said.
According to him, only a few operators are involved in hefty fare hikes. “There are some operators from Andhra and Tamil Nadu who take short permits to fleece passengers during Vishu. While they can fix any rate, people will only travel in their bus if it is affordable,” Rijas said.
The Interstate Bus Operator’s Association of Karnataka (IBOAK) fixed a minimum charge for Kerala-Karnataka trips last Christmas season.