Shocking!! No respite at all even now - Ticket fare cost Rs 10000 for a family in the omni buses from Chennai!!
Posted on: 09/Nov/2023 9:24:44 AM
Recently, for the Navarathri holidays, many from Chennai went to their native places to celebrate the festival with their families etc. The private omni bus operators demanded huge amounts as bus ticket fares. This made sensational news and the transport dept cracked a whip on the omni bus operators. Point is that the All India Omni Bus Owners Association threatened strike and then held hectic parleys. It assured that the omni buses operators would charge only the rate that was fixed by the association.
It must be noted that with less than a month now there is no respite for the public ahead of Deepavali season. The bitter truth is that the maximum fare limit that was fixed by the association was not at all considered. Many omni bus operators charge high rates even now from the passengers.
For the omni bus journey from Chennai to Coimbatore for deepavali, the bus fare on non air-conditioned seater buses has been capped at Rs 1720. It was found that 16 buses were selling tickets from Rs 1749 to Rs 2499 on the portal for the 10th November journey. In the same way, the maximum fare for non A/C sleeper is Rs 2090. Truth is that more than 18 omni buses have priced the tickers between Rs 2399 and Rs 2999. Even for other routes like Chennai to Madurai etc, the omni bus ticket fares are high now. For a single way trip, a family of 4 would have to spend Rs 10000 just for bus tickets alone. This would put huge pressure on many middle income families.
The tickets in the trains have been sold now and the public have no other option other than omnibuses to go to their native places for Deepavali. According to Mr. A. Anbalagan, president of All Omni Bus Owners Association, the association has formed a team to keep an eye on the bus fares. He added that whenever the association finds that the omni bus operators collect huge amounts from the passengers, the omni bus operators have been asked to bring down the fares.
Special teams were formed to conduct special checks and this was as per a senior official belonging to the transport department. He hinted that strict action would be taken against those omni bus operators if they demand huge amounts as bus fares.
