Omnibuses take Xmas-New Year passengers for a ride

With Christmas-New Year weekend arriving, it's that time of the year when omni buses make a killing off the hapless travelling public. A journey to Chennai turned out to be a costly affair for people preferring these buses from Trichy central bus stand on Monday coughing up Rs 550 to Rs 600 per seat in the sleeper class as against the normal fair of Rs 350.
Passengers were seen arguing with touts at the central bus stand in the afternoon who demanded the jacked-up fare in the air-conditioned bus from Trichy to Chennai. "I came down from Chennai for Rs 300 in the sleeper class a couple of days ago. But now, the fare is nearly double. Though it is exorbitant, we have no other option than accept it as I have to reach Chennai for my work," said R Kumar from Trichy city.
The booking of tickets online also pinched pockets today. The ticket fare was fixed at Rs 450 for semi-sleeper class travel from Trichy to Chennai for today's travel as against Rs 250 on the normal days. "I have to report to office tomorrow. So, there is no time to fight for right fares. The officials concerned are never bothered to check such menace," said a passenger, S Jayakumar from Palakkarai in Trichy.
A tout said that the bus owners inflated the fair during the festival season and the travellers had no other option but to shell out any amount. On the part of the Tamil Nadu state transport corporation (TNSTC) and state express transport corporation (SETC), they were operating 350 special buses from Trichy today.