Festive travel turns costly as bus fares soar

High demand during the holiday season leads to exorbitant bus fares, prompting calls for stricter regulations on private operators.

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The festive cheer of the Christmas-New Year season, coupled with the allure of a long weekend, has made bus travel costly for many commuters, particularly those who rely on private operators. Passengers travelling from Bengaluru have been facing exorbitant ticket prices, prompting widespread calls for stricter regulations on private bus operators.

Private operators have been accused of exploiting the surge in demand, with fares for routes like Bengaluru to Hyderabad skyrocketing to ₹3,799 and Bengaluru to Mangaluru reaching ₹2,148 on some private buses over the past week.

“This has become a recurring problem during every festival and long weekend,” lamented Meena Rao, a tech professional who travelled from Bengaluru to Udupi on December 27. “Despite repeated complaints, the government has failed to take effective action to prevent private operators from hiking fares.”

The issue extends beyond private operators, with some commuters also reporting increased fares on Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) buses. “I usually pay ₹654 for the journey between Gonikoppal and Bengaluru,” said Dechamma. M.V., who works in Bengaluru. “However, this time, I was charged ₹711 for the same route.”

The Transport Department has responded by stating that cases will be filed against violators and penalties imposed for surge pricing. Officials have also emphasised that KSRTC deploys additional buses during festivals and long weekends to discourage reliance on private operators.

However, these measures have not alleviated passenger concerns. “Announcements of surprise checks and regulations on private operators sound promising, but there is little evidence of actual implementation,” said Rajesh Imdapur, a frequent traveller to Kalaburagi. “We are left to bear the brunt of these inflated fares.”