AP Transport dept cracks down on private bus operators over costly bus fares for Sankranti

Amaravati: Ahead of the Sankranti festival, bus travellers heading to their hometowns in Andhra Pradesh are facing a tough time with the increase in private bus fares on major interstate routes.

Following this, the Andhra Pradesh Transport Department has intensified inspections and initiated strict action against private bus operators found charging exorbitant fares by exploiting the festive rush.

Fare can be increased only up to 50% over APSRTC fare

AP Transport Commissioner Manish Kumar Sinha warned that stern legal action would be taken against operators violating fare norms. He said the department is closely monitoring ticket prices to prevent unjustified hikes.

Clarifying the rules, Sinha stated that private bus fares can be increased only up to a maximum of 50 per cent over Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) fares, and any violation would attract legal consequences.

As part of a special enforcement drive, the Deputy Transport Commissioner, Visakhapatnam, said inspections were carried out on January 10 at NSTL and NAD Junction. During the drive, seven cases were booked against private travel operators for charging excessive fares.

Online travel websites under scrutiny

The Transport Department is also tracking ticket prices on online booking platforms such as AbhiBus and RedBus. Cases will be registered against bus owners if fares are found to exceed the prescribed limits.

Regular inspections will continue across all districts until January 18 to curb violations, the Commissioner said.

Private buses ordered to display the transport dept helpline

He further added that private bus operators have been instructed to prominently display the Transport Department helpline number 9281607001 on every bus to enable passengers to report overcharging and other grievances.

8,432 special bus services

Meanwhile, APSRTC has announced the operation of 8,432 special bus services for the Sankranti season to meet the surge in passenger demand.

Of these, 3,857 buses will operate as pre-Sankranti specials, including 3,500 intrastate services, while 367 buses will ply from Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Chennai to Andhra Pradesh.

In addition, 4,574 buses will be operated as post-Sankranti specials, comprising 2,500 intrastate services and 2,075 interstate services to Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Chennai to clear the post-festival rush.

The Hyderabad–Vijayawada route sees huge rush

The Hyderabad–Vijayawada national highway continued to witness heavy congestion as many vehicles headed towards Andhra Pradesh for the Sankranti festival.

Traffic snarls were reported at the Pantangi toll plaza, where congestion intensified from early Sunday morning. Toll authorities opened additional booths to ease the flow as vehicles moved in large numbers towards Andhra Pradesh. However, cars and other vehicles were forced to move at a slow pace due to the heavy rush.

Officials at the Pantangi toll plaza said that over 10,000 vehicles travelled towards Andhra Pradesh between 6 pm on Saturday and 6 am on Sunday. They warned that congestion is likely to increase further as the festive rush peaks.

Emergency services enabled on busy routes

To manage the situation, arrangements have been made to ensure faster FASTag scanning at the toll plaza. Patrol vehicles, cranes and ambulances have been deployed at Pantangi, Korlapahad and Chillakallu toll plazas to handle emergencies and maintain smooth traffic flow.

Meanwhile, traffic congestion was also reported at Nandigama in Andhra Pradesh due to the continuous inflow of vehicles from Hyderabad. Traffic movement at the Y-junction has been disrupted owing to ongoing road construction works, adding to commuters’ difficulties.