High cost of Onam travel

Private luxury bus operators have sharply increased ticket fares for long-distance journeys, making travel during the Onam season increasingly expensive. With train tickets from cities such as Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad to Kerala and back unavailable, private buses have raised fares to more than double their usual rates.

Sleeper fares from Bengaluru to Kerala are now above ₹3,500. On the same bus, pushback seats are priced at up to ₹2,500, while berths cost as much as ₹4,300. Most train tickets had been sold out months in advance. Since people working in the IT sector and elsewhere are often unsure whether they will be able to secure leave, many cannot book train tickets well in advance. As a result, those planning to return home for two or three days during Onam largely depend on private bus services.

Tickets are now unavailable even on the special trains announced by the Railways for the Onam season. Most people are expected to return after Onam on Saturday and Sunday, but train tickets are unavailable for these days as well. The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has announced additional services to accommodate the rush of passengers. As dynamic pricing is applicable to KSRTC services too, tickets may initially be available at lower fares, but prices will rise as demand increases.

The practice of exploiting the Onam rush by raising ticket fares has become an annual phenomenon. If KSRTC operates more services and also approaches the Karnataka government to urge it to increase the number of its services to Kerala, the sharp rise in fares could be contained to some extent.

Luxury bus operators are taking advantage of the rush of thousands of people working in Kerala's neighbouring states and hundreds of students studying in various educational institutions who travel to Kerala during the Onam season. Passenger numbers are highest on interstate routes connecting Kerala with major employment centres such as Bengaluru and Chennai.

If the Railways are prepared to operate additional trains at short notice, the severity of the travel crisis could be reduced. Although a 16-coach train has already been sanctioned in place of the eight-coach train currently used for the Ernakulam-Bengaluru Vande Bharat service, the expanded service has not yet commenced.

The reason being cited for the delay in starting the 16-coach service is the non-receipt of a certificate from the mechanical department of the Bengaluru division. MPs from Kerala must urgently bring the issue to the attention of the Union Railway Minister and seek its resolution. If the 16-coach service is put into operation before Onam, an additional 600 seats will be available on every trip.

There have also been allegations that the Railways' continued sluggishness is helping the bus lobby. For those travelling to Kerala with their families and others during the Onam season, a substantial amount will have to be set aside for travel alone. With demand for transport peaking during the festival season, the Railways and state transport authorities must take timely measures to ensure that passengers are not left at the mercy of private operators charging exorbitant fares.