Ganesha Chathurthi: Private bus operators reap huge profits this festival

The bus fares that were between Rs 500 to Rs 700 to Chennai will now cost between Rs 1200 and Rs 1400. Similarly, bus fares to Hyderabad will cost Rs 1,600 to Rs 2,000 during the festival season starting from September 12 to September 16.   

With Ganesha festival around the corner, Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus tickets to Chennai, Hyderabad and other places are sold out, while private bus operators are taking advantage of this to make a killing.

The bus fares that were between Rs 500 to Rs 700 to Chennai will now cost between Rs 1200 and Rs 1400. Similarly, bus fares to Hyderabad will cost Rs 1,600 to Rs 2,000 during the festival season starting from September 12 to September 16. 

The intra-State bus service to Mangaluru, Hubbali, etc, also witnessed an increase in prices. For Mangaluru, private bus operators charge anywhere between Rs 1,500 and Rs 1,600. Similarly, for Hubbali from Bengaluru, the distance ranging over 450 kilometres will cost a whopping Rs 3,000. 

KSRTC introduced more buses in this North-Karnataka belt, but bookings are already done and over.  In KSRTC, the tickets from Bengaluru to Hubbali are priced between Rs 673 and Rs 815. 

"This is the problem we face every festive season as private operators charge more. The government should have added more buses keeping the festive season in mind." J Venkatesh, a regular traveller to Hubbali, said.