Chennai, Oct 13 : With the Deepavali travel season at its peak, omnibus operators across Tamil Nadu have significantly raised fares, leaving passengers with little choice but to pay steep rates for their festive journeys.

Despite repeated warnings from the State Transport Department against overcharging, fares on major routes from Chennai to southern and western districts have nearly doubled. On several private booking platforms, one-way tickets on the Chennai'Madurai route are listed for up to Rs 4,500, while Chennai-Tiruchy and Chennai-Coimbatore services show fares touching Rs 3,500 and Rs 3,000 respectively -- far above normal levels.

As per the fare structure agreed between the state government and Omni Bus Associations in 2022, the approved one-way rates range between Rs 1,200 and Rs 1,980 for Chennai'Tiruchy, Rs 1,930 and Rs 3,070 for Chennai'Madurai, and Rs 1,730 and Rs 2,880 for Chennai'Coimbatore. However, fares for both inbound and outbound travel between October 17 and 23 have surged across all routes as passengers rush to book holiday tickets.

The shortage of direct services to certain destinations has compounded the situation, particularly for passengers travelling to Tiruchy and smaller towns en route to southern districts. Many such buses are routed to Madurai or Tirunelveli, resulting in passengers on intermediate routes being charged higher fares pegged to longer-distance destinations.

Operators have attributed the fare escalation to rising operational costs, including fuel prices and maintenance expenses, and have sought a revision of the 2022 fare chart.

The Owners Association maintains that the existing chart only specifies maximum rates and that any disputes can be raised through its grievance redressal mechanism.

Meanwhile, officials from the Transport Department have launched statewide enforcement drives at major checkpoints, including toll plazas and entry points to cities such as Madurai, Tiruchy, and Coimbatore.

Special monitoring teams have been tasked with verifying fare compliance and safety norms.

Transport Minister S.S. Sivasankar has confirmed that multiple cases of overcharging have already been reported and that Associations have been directed to immediately reduce fares to approved limits. Strict action, including permit suspension and penalties, has been warned against violators as the state seeks to keep festive travel affordable and safe for the public.

/IANS