Pvt bus operators jack up ticket prices ahead of Deepavali, passengers fume

BENGALURU: With Deepavali approaching, private bus operators in Bengaluru have hiked their fares by 50-100 per cent or more, taking advantage of the high demand for travel. This has led to complaints from passengers, who are already struggling to cope with the increased costs.

The private bus operators claim that the fare hike is due to the high demand during the peak season. However, passengers are unhappy with the sudden increase in fares, which is already a strain on their finances.

How the fares have been jacked up:

Bengaluru to Hubli: Rs 2,500-Rs 3,000 (usual fare: Rs 900-Rs 1,000)

Bengaluru to Belagavi: Rs 2,600-Rs 4,000 (usual fare: Rs 1,500-Rs 1,600)

Bengaluru to Gadag: Rs 1,800-Rs 2,000 (usual fare: Rs 1,100-Rs 1,200)

Bengaluru to Mangaluru: Rs 2,300-Rs 2,700 (usual fare: Rs 1,300-Rs 1,400)

Bengaluru to Udupi: Rs 2,000-Rs 2,300 (usual fare: Rs 1,500-Rs 1,700)

Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy said it is not right for stage carriage operators to jack up ticket fares and felt that new rules should be framed to regulate them. “The Transport department will initiate action against those operators who have jacked up fares. For the benefit of people, KSRTC will be running 2,500 additional buses”, he said.

The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has stepped in to provide some relief by operating additional buses, with the state government announcing that 2,500 extra buses will be deployed to cater to the increased demand.