Sankranti demand triples bus operators’ greed
HYDERABAD: While private travel operators hike ticket prices every year for buses plying to the districts of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana during the Sankranti season, this year the fares have been increased abnormally up to 200%.
The sight of long queues at Ameerpet, SR Nagar, Lakdikapul, and other pickup points indicates growing demand, creating an opportunity for travel operators to profit. While several passengers say they can understand to some extent the fare hikes during special occasions, similar to increases in flight ticket prices, they argue that the government should enforce a cap on ticket prices, which are now becoming “exorbitant and unreasonable.”
Notably, on special occasions, the TGSRTC also raises the fare by 50% on its fleet of special buses. However, tickets for other TGSRTC buses, including seater and non-AC options, remain available at regular rates.
C Manasa, a Kadapa-bound student waiting for her bus at Irrum Manzil on Friday, said that she shelled out Rs 2,100 for the ticket. “Usually, the ticket (to Kadapa) is around Rs 900 to Rs 1,000, but many operators are charging Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000. Passengers may tolerate a fare hike of Rs 200 to Rs 300, but such an increase is unreasonable,” she said.
Sheikh Vali said he was willing to pay premium fares but opined that any fare hike “should be reasonable.” “I believe there is nothing wrong with paying a premium price. Even the TGSRTC cannot mobilise enough staff to cope with the demand. But the fare hike should be reasonable. Charging Rs 3,000 for a ticket that usually costs Rs 1,000 is not right. It needs to be controlled,” said Vali.
Several other passengers travelling to Amalapuram, Vijayawada, Tirupati, and other parts of Andhra Pradesh pointed out that bus fares, which cost between Rs 800 and Rs 1,200 on normal days, have been raised to Rs 3,000.
However, agents for private bus operators said the owners of travel companies fix fares. Mohammed Omar Shareef of Hyderabad Travels, SR Nagar, said, “The earnings of agents have gone down as people prefer to book online these days. Earlier, ticket prices used to be even more expensive. Even the government is increasing prices during festivals, so why would we hesitate? After all, it is a free market. Everybody knows that. Even flight tickets become expensive during special occasions.”
Meanwhile, average flight fares from Hyderabad to Visakhapatnam for Saturday and Sunday shot up to Rs 17,500, with one airline even asking for Rs 32,200.
With Sankranti holidays starting, heavy traffic congestion was seen at Panthangi and Korlapadu toll plazas on the Hyderabad to Officials at Panthangi said that nearly one lakh vehicles passed toward Vijayawada between noon on Friday and 6 pm on Saturday. They said that they expect an additional 20,000 to 30,000 vehicles to cross the plaza by Saturday midnight.
The TGSRTC on Saturday stated that fares for special buses were revised due to the additional expenses incurred on diesel and maintenance of buses. The TGSRTC increased ticket prices for special buses by up to 50% as per a GO. The revised fares are applicable only for special buses and on January 10, 11 and 12, and on January 19 and 20 (return journeys)