Soaring travel fares spoil Malayalis festive plans

The waitlist for major trains heading to Kerala has now reached 100, with Malayalis residing in Bengaluru being the most affected. Between April 10-17, the sleeper class waitlist for Yeshwantpur-Kannur Express (16527) has surpassed 258. Similarly, the waitlist stands at 149 for Bengaluru-Kannur Express (16511) and 146 for Chennai-Mangaluru Mail in sleeper class (12601). Travelers who depend on premium tatkal services are likely to face disappointment, as families may end up paying more than three times the normal fare. During the last Onam, the cost of sleeper classes in Kannur-Bengaluru Express was escalated from Rs 370 to Rs 1,155, while the fare for the third AC ticket rose from Rs 1000 to Rs 3,350. Furthermore, bus fares have seen a significant hike as well. Passengers may now have to shell out nearly Rs 2,200 during festive seasons to travel in a Kannur-Bengaluru AC sleeper, compared to the previous fare. Similarly, the Bengaluru-Kozhikode trip now costs Rs 2,990, up from Rs 900. The journey from Bengaluru to Kochi, which previously cost Rs 1,999, now demands up to Rs 4,000. Sleeper buses are priced individually based on berths, and it's observed that private bus companies often suspend online booking systems, resorting to manual booking processes. This transition may potentially lead to unfair fees being imposed on passengers.