CHENNAI: Omni bus fares from Chennai to several destinations have surged up to fourfold ahead of the Vinayagar Chaturthi holiday, with fares to Madurai touching a maximum of Rs 4,013, according to a Daily Thanthi report.
With Vinayagar Chaturthi falling on Monday (September 14), the three-day holiday weekend has triggered a rush among Chennai residents heading to their hometowns.
As train tickets are usually sold out within minutes during festive periods, many passengers are turning to private omni buses.
Taking advantage of the increased demand, operators have raised fares significantly for services departing Chennai on Friday (September 11).
The maximum fare from Chennai to Madurai has been fixed at Rs 4,013, while tickets to Coimbatore cost up to Rs 3,239.
The fare to Tirunelveli has risen to Rs 3,499, while passengers travelling to Kanniyakumari and Nagercoil have to shell out up to Rs 3,882 and Rs 3,699, respectively.
The maximum fare for buses to Erode has been fixed at Rs 2,580.
Meanwhile, fares for the return journey to Chennai on Monday are also high. A ticket from Madurai to Chennai costs up to Rs 2,650, while the maximum fare from Coimbatore is Rs 2,999.
The fare from Tirunelveli to Chennai has touched Rs 3,999, while passengers travelling from Kanyakumari and Nagercoil have to pay up to Rs 3,831 and Rs 3,599, respectively. The maximum fare from Erode to Chennai stands at Rs 2,040.
With passenger demand expected to remain high on Sunday and Monday, fares could rise further, according to passengers and transport sources.