VIJAYAWADA: The APSRTC and private bus operators made merry on Monday, a day ahead of Dasara as passengers thronged to bus stations trying to reach their native places for the festivities. The PNBS was packed with passengers and every bus was plying with 100 per cent occupancy. Private bus operators too had a field day due to heavy demand for tickets.
Many tour operators hiked the ticket prices more than 100 per cent. A/C bus tickets from Vijayawada to Hyderabad were sold for anything between Rs 1,200 and Rs 2,300 per head. “This is the time we get good business and the surge pricing is not a new thing,” said a bus operator, giving an impromptu lesson on demand and supply, the basic principle of economics. The RTC also introduced special services but was not able to meet the festival demand.
A weekend followed by two major holiday, Dasara followed by Muharram, has given enough space for everyone to plan a holiday to their native places. RTC is also applying surge pricing on special services which is 50 per cent more than the normal ticket price. “We are plying 130 special services to Hyderabad and 35 services to Rajahmundry,” said Krishna district regional manager P.V. Rama Rao. “Vijayawada is witnessing a demand for buses to north coastal region,” Mr Rama Rao said.
People travelling longer distances are finding it difficult to find a direct bus from Hyderabad and other places. “We are expecting good revenues during this Dasara season,” he added. “Forget about surge pricing, we are lucky we got tickets,” said Alla Naveen, a techie on his way home from Hyderabad. “Though the surge pricing has doubled the cost of journey, we are getting used to it,” he said.
