Nagpur: As Diwali festival commenced, private bus fares have skyrocketed in Nagpur, with reports of fare hike by as much as 300%. Passengers travelling on routes such as Pune, Nashik, and Hyderabad are facing charges of Rs 3,000 instead of the usual Rs 1,000. This price hike is fuelling a rush for advance ticket bookings as operators take advantage of the festive season.
The Grahak Panchayat Maharashtra, represented by leaders including Shyamkant Patrikar and Leeladhar Lohre, has called on the Regional Transport Office (RTO) to intervene and regulate these unjust increases. Currently, online fares from Nagpur to Pune range from Rs 760 to Rs 1,000 but are expected to rise to Rs 3,300 to Rs 4,000 during Diwali.
Monday's Rate
Sat 23 Dec. 2024
The Transport Department has initiated a crackdown on fare hikes, running from October 21 to November 9, with Vivek Bhimanwar, Transport Commissioner imposing limits on price increases. Complaints have also surfaced regarding inactive complaint hotlines, established in 2018, which are no longer operational.
Shyamkant Patrikar, President of Grahak Panchayat Maharashtra, along with Leeladhar Lohre, Provincial Secretary and Nitin Mukewar, Pradesh Pravasi Mahasangh representative have called for immediate action from the Regional Transport Office (RTO). Mukewar emphasised the need for the government to reactivate these helplines. Grahak Panchayat Maharashtra has demanded the reactivation of a helpline for complaints against overcharging, as two numbers provided have become nonoperational. They stress the need for these helplines to be available 24×7 to support affected travellers.
With the Railway Department’s special Diwali trains already sold out, travellers are left with private buses charging exorbitant online rates. Passengers have reported discrepancies between advertised prices and final booking costs.
Current fares for private buses range from Rs 1,500 to Rs 4,000 for journeys between October 30 and November 3, with many late-night buses already fully booked. To meet this surge in demand, private bus operators plan to add extra buses, but these will also be priced at double the usual rates. Travellers are also facing additional charges for luggage.
The State Transport Department has given instructions and strict guidelines to the private tourist bus operators; they cannot increase their ticket rates more than 1.5-fold time compared to normal Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) bus ticket bus fares. The Department has also started a drive to check such illegal practices, said a RTO official.
