Chennai: traveling with an air-conditioned personal bus has become expensive for Diwali.
Rates to Madurai, Coimbatore, Tuticorin and other popular routes from the city have touched Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,000.
Rates returned more or less the same for the days immediately after the festival.
The transportation department has begun to crack down on private bus operators.
Two buses were confiscated in the city to charge, in the Seatur and Sivagangai.
Rates are in the range of Rs 600 to Rs 800 during the season that are not festive.
Ticket prices are fired because demand has peaked because most people treat diwali as an extended weekend.
When the festival fell on Thursday, many took leave on Friday and returned only on Sundays.
This has caused an increase in ticket requests, the bus operator said.
Because people prefer a comfortable and fast trip, the Omni Personal bus is very popular.
Online ticket booking sites show that seats have been booked quickly to travel on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Some operators have increased ticket prices to Rs 2,400 on the coimbatore-chennai route.
Private bus users say that even non-AC bed ticket prices are sold no less than Rs 1,500.
P Abijith, an IT professional from Coimbatore said, “I tried to book a flight to Chennai after a diwali vacation on Sunday night (November 7).
For my surprise, several buses sell tickets at Rs 2400.
I can spend an extra Rs 800 and take flights .
With available morning flights.
I seriously consider ordering flight tickets on Monday morning, “he said.
Private bus operators say that pricing increases due to demand and model it is the only way to generate profits.
The State Transportation Department has warned the Punishment bus operator.
But legal experts claim that the government will not have the power to act without changing the rules.
Even though the bus was confiscated, the case was submitted for road permits and tax violations.