Shortage of trains, high bus fares disrupt Keralites’ travel plans

Reaching home during Onam has become a challenging task for hundreds of Keralites working in neighbouring States of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

While the ticket fare of luxury coaches that are operating between Kerala and neighbouring States has gone up manifold, and no reserved seats or berths available in trains, a large number of passengers have been forced to opt for pool vehicles. There are also complaints that inter-State buses from cities like Bengaluru are charging exorbitant rates during the season.

Passengers have sought government intervention to prevail on the Railways to operate more special trains and on the KSRTC to augment its fleet of sleeper and other inter-State buses to destinations like Bengaluru and Chennai during the festival season.

Rose Mary, who is employed at a consulting house in Bengaluru and frequently commutes to Kerala, said that the inadequate number of train services to cities in the State from Bengaluru and Chennai had led to plenty of IT professionals and others having to opt for pool cars. “The trend intensified during the pandemic and continues, worsening traffic congestion on NH corridors in Kerala. This holiday season, I was left with no other choice but to take a flight to Kochi,” she said.

Despite the Railway operating more special trains than usual during the Onam season, there is a noticeable demand-supply gap of trains and State-run buses this time as well, especially from Bengaluru to Kerala, said P. Krishnakumar, general secretary of Thrissur Railway Passengers’ Association.

Steps must be taken to augment reception capacity at railway stations in Kerala and to add the third and fourth tracks on passenger-dense routes on either side of Ernakulam. More trains shall be operated from Delhi and other places to Kerala and back during the season, considering the huge demand for seats, he said.

On complaints of bus operators reportedly fleecing passengers during the festival seasons, senior vice president (South India) of the Inter State Bus and Car Operators’ Confederation of India, Manoj Padikkal said that this was mainly to balance some States levying their share of taxes for All India Tourist Permit buses, although their operators have already paid an average of around ₹3-lakh tax to the Centre for every AC bus.

Low patronage

Low patronage in buses to cities like Bengaluru during weekends and similarly in buses to Kerala during the commencement of the week is a cause of worry. Many bus operators strike a balance by increasing the fare when there is a surge in demand during holidays and festive seasons, he added.

Rebutting claims of bus operators, an official of the Transport department said that the Centre collected permit fees as per the Central Motor Vehicle Rules, while the State collected tax as per the Kerala Motor Vehicle Taxation Act.