Private omni bus fares surge in Tamil Nadu ahead of festival

Private omni bus operators in Tamil Nadu have significantly increased fares ahead of the Vinayagar Chaturthi holiday weekend, despite previous assurances from the TVK government regarding fare regulation and the elimination of corruption.

As travelers from Chennai head to their hometowns due to sold-out train tickets, reported fares have reached unprecedented levels. For example, tickets to Coimbatore have been listed as high as ₹6,154, while trips to Madurai have reached up to ₹4,899. Other destinations including Tirunelveli, Kanniyakumari, and Nagercoil have also seen substantial price surges.

PMK President and MP Anbumani Ramadoss criticized the state government for failing to intervene, alleging that fares are 20% to 50% higher than under the previous administration. He noted that these hikes are openly visible on online booking platforms and urged the government to constitute a fare-fixing committee and enforce Madras High Court directions to regulate pricing.