Sankranti rush: Andhra books 209 bus operators for charging exorbitant fares, ₹19L fine collected

Amaravati: Ahead of the Sankranti festival rush, the Andhra Pradesh Transport Department cracked down on private bus operators for charging exorbitant fares.

Cases were registered against 209 operators, and a Rs 19 lakh fine was collected.

Overcharging during festival rush

With thousands of passengers travelling to their native places for Sankranti, transport officials conducted special inspections across the State.

During these checks, 209 private buses were found to be collecting fares well above the prescribed limits. Cases were registered against the operators, leading to penalties amounting to Rs 19 lakh.

The highest number of overcharging cases was reported in:

West Godavari district – 54 cases

B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema district – 39 cases

Chittoor district – 30 cases

Sri Potti Sriramulu Nellore district – 22 cases

Violations of permits and tax norms

In a parallel drive, officials also verified whether private buses had valid permits and had paid quarterly taxes. Inspections revealed that as many as 678 buses were operating in violation of rules, either without paying taxes or flouting permit conditions.

Cases were registered against these buses as well, and an additional fine of Rs 38 lakh was imposed. Major violations were detected in:

NTR district – 92 cases

Vizianagaram district – 62 cases

Sri Potti Sriramulu Nellore district – 61 cases

Guntur district – 54 cases

Eluru district – 43 cases

Inspections to continue till January 18

Manish Kumar Sinha, Commissioner of the Andhra Pradesh Transport Department, said in a statement on Tuesday that inspections would continue till January 18, anticipating heavy return travel on January 17 and 18 after the festival.

He also cautioned private operators that fares displayed on booking apps are being closely monitored. If ticket prices exceed the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) prescribed fares by more than 50 per cent, strict action will be initiated.

The department reiterated that its objective is to protect passengers from exploitation during peak festive travel and ensure compliance with transport regulations across the State.