Chennai, Oct 15 (IANS) Passengers travelling out of Chennai for the Ayudha Puja holidays face sharply higher transport costs, with private omni bus fares rising several times above normal levels and airfares surging on several routes.
The four-day holiday stretch begins with the weekend on October 17 and 18, followed by Ayudha Puja on October 19 and Vijayadashami on October 20.
With train reservations already full, many residents heading to their hometowns are seeking seats on buses and flights. Passengers complained that the omni bus fares from Chennai to southern districts and other destinations had increased substantially ahead of the festive rush, making travel increasingly expensive for those yet to book tickets.
On the Chennai-Kanyakumari route, tickets normally priced between Rs 800 and Rs 1,200 are now being quoted at Rs 3,420. Fares to Tirunelveli have risen from around Rs 1,300 to Rs 3,000, while those to Madurai have increased from Rs 800 to Rs 2,500.
For Chennai-Coimbatore services, fares usually ranging between Rs 600 and Rs 1,000 have climbed to Rs 3,500, adding to the financial burden on holiday travellers.
Air passengers are also facing steep increases, particularly for departures on October 16 and 17, when demand is building ahead of the extended break. Chennai-Madurai flight tickets available at approximately Rs 3,500 to Rs 5,500 for October 16 are being quoted between Rs 12,026 and Rs 18,626 for October 17. Fares on the Chennai-Coimbatore route, normally around Rs 3,500 to Rs 4,500, have reached approximately Rs 11,000 for October 16 and 17. Tickets to Thoothukudi, usually costing between Rs 4,000 and Rs 5,500, are now priced from Rs 11,736 to Rs 13,626. Chennai-Kolkata fares have increased from the usual Rs 6,000-Rs 7,000 range to Rs 14,117.
The increase extends to shorter routes within Tamil Nadu. Chennai-Tiruchirappalli tickets, normally priced between Rs 2,300 and Rs 3,500, are being quoted at Rs 6,500 to Rs 9,500 for October 16 and 17. On the Chennai-Salem route, fares have risen from approximately Rs 1,900-Rs 3,800 to between Rs 5,600 and Rs 12,000. ‘
The simultaneous increase in bus and flight prices has left passengers with limited affordable options, particularly as the full train bookings reduce alternatives for families planning to travel together during the consecutive holidays and festival celebrations across Tamil Nadu and other popular destinations.
–IANS
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