Private Travel Operators Hiking Fares Amid Sankranti Rush!

Sankranti, one of the most significant festivals for Telugu people, is a time when families eagerly travel to their hometowns to celebrate and spend time with loved ones. However, many are facing significant travel difficulties due to the overwhelming rush of passengers departing from Hyderabad to their native places. Despite additional buses and special trains being introduced, they are quickly getting fully booked within minutes. This has led many travelers to turn to private bus operators as a last resort.

Taking advantage of the surge in demand, private travel operators have significantly increased ticket prices, leading to widespread complaints of exploitation. According to passengers, private bus fares are being charged at rates comparable to airfare, with ticket prices rising three to four times higher than usual. Normally, an AC sleeper bus ticket from Hyderabad to Visakhapatnam costs around ₹4,000, but it is currently priced above ₹6,000 by private operators. Similarly, AC seater bus fares, which usually do not exceed ₹1,849, have now crossed ₹5,500. In the case of Volvo buses, passengers are being charged up to ₹7,000.

Passengers traveling from Hyderabad to Vijayawada have reported that they are being charged ₹4,000 for a single journey on a Volvo bus. This sharp increase in fares is openly visible on mobile apps and websites, with the inflated prices clearly displayed. Despite the apparent exploitation, travelers allege that authorities are ignoring the issue, leaving them with no choice but to pay exorbitant prices to reach their hometowns before the festival.