Deepavali 2024: Karnataka Transport Department sets up control room to address fare hikes by private bus operators

Karnataka Transport Department establishes control room to combat overcharging by private bus operators during Deepavali rush.

The Karnataka Transport Department has established a dedicated control room to help passengers report overcharging by private bus operators during the Deepavali rush.

Every year, private bus operators tend to increase ticket prices by up to 30% or more during long weekends, holidays, and especially the Deepavali season, when travel demand peaks. Such hikes primarily affect high-demand routes, making travel unaffordable for many who rely on buses to reach their hometowns for the holidays.

To counter this practice, the department has released two contact numbers — 9449863429 and 9449863426 — for passengers to report cases of overpricing.

C. Mallikarjuna, Additional Commissioner (Enforcement) for the Transport Department, said that the decision was made after recent discussions on passenger grievances over unfair fare hikes. He further emphasised that the department is ready to take strict action, including suspension of permits or revoking of registrations, of those operators who ignore warnings about excessive fare hikes.

The Transport Department has issued a stern notice to private bus operators and online ticketing platforms, warning them against charging exorbitant fares in the upcoming festival season. “We understand that a reasonable fare increase is to be expected due to demand, but instances of extreme price inflation are unacceptable. Operators have been instructed to maintain fair pricing. We also urge passengers to be cautious about using fake booking apps to avoid potential scams,” another official from the department said.

Meanwhile, to meet the increased demand, the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has announced the addition of 2,000 extra buses from Bengaluru to various destinations within Karnataka and neighboring states.