Pune: Summer Travel Costs Soar as Private Bus Ticket Prices Spike
Pune: Summer Travel Costs Soar as Private Bus Ticket Prices Spike
Travellers gearing up for summer vacations might find themselves digging deeper into their pockets this year. With the onset of the summer schedule, airline and private bus operators have significantly raised their ticket prices, making seasonal travel more expensive than usual. Airlines and private travel operators have increased their fares for March travel due to the high demand during this time of year. While the State Transport Corporation is keeping its seasonal fares the same, other travel operators have raised their prices. This increase in fares is expected to affect the budgets of regular travellers.
Private bus operators are allowed to charge up to 50% more than the standard state transport (ST) ticket fare. However, there are concerns about compliance. Some travel operators in Pune are exceeding the limit. This has previously been an issue during other peak periods like Diwali.
Baba Shinde, President of the Freight and Passenger Transport Association in Pune, has appealed to his members not to exceed the regulated 50% increase. Despite this, the demand for travel remains high. Waiting lists for long-distance trains in Pune began as early as two months ago, and several trains are now fully booked. This has led to an unavoidable reliance on private buses that are struggling to meet the demand.
The Pune division has only 850 ST buses operating, which is insufficient given the high number of passengers travelling from Pune and Mumbai to various villages, as explained by Shinde.
According to the Regional Transport Officer (in charge) for Pune, he has urged passengers to report any overcharging. “Private bus drivers are allowed to charge 50% more than the ST fare. However, if the rate exceeds that, action will be taken. Passengers experiencing overcharging should complain to the RTO.”
Summer travellers, especially those on a tight budget, are facing a challenge as they must now navigate the increased costs or look for alternative travel options.
