Ganesh puja triggers ticket price hike of private buses

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: In anticipation of the Ganesh Chaturthi festivities this coming Monday, thousands of individuals from Bengaluru are making their way to their hometowns this weekend.

As is customary, private bus operators have significantly raised ticket prices to capitalize on the high demand during this limited time, despite a warning from the Transport Commissioner about potential consequences for such actions.

Ganesh Chaturthi, observed on September 18-19, falls on Monday and Tuesday this year. With a twoday weekend leading up to the festival, private bus terminals are experiencing large crowds.

Many bus services have substantially increased their fares, causing issues for passengers. For example, the typical fare from Bengaluru to Hubballi, which ranged from Rs 700 to 1,200, has now surged to Rs 1,400 to 2,500, depending on the bus category.

Similarly, fares on the Bengaluru to Mangaluru route, previously priced between Rs 700 to 1,400, have risen to Rs 1,400 to Rs 2,000. Despite the Transport Commissioner's warning against fare hikes during the festive season, many private bus operators have chosen to raise prices.

Some private bus operators have not changed the prices of the tickets but have added a substantial “special day” charge. To accommodate the overwhelming demand, the Karnataka State Road Transportation Corporation (KSRTC) has announced an additional 1,200 buses to various destinations across the state in preparation for the Ganesh festival.

These additional buses will run from Bengaluru and Mysuru to a multitude of locations, including Dharmastala, Kukkesubramanya, Shivamogga, Hassan, Mangaluru, Kundapura, Shringeri, Horanadu, Davangere, Hubballi, Dharwad, Belagavi, Vijayapura, Gokarna, Sirsi, Karwar, Raichur, Kalaburagi, Ballari, Koppala, Yadgir, Bidar, Tirupathi, Vijayawada, Hyderabad, and others.