Over 1,100 cases filed against private buses for festive overcharging in AP

Visakhapatnam: Andhra Pradesh transport department booked over 1,100 cases against private bus operators for charging high fares and violating other rules during the Sankranti festive season as of now. The officials said they will intensify the raids from Friday night to Jan 20, as the private operators may fleece the passengers during the return journey after the Sankranti festival.Transport commissioner Manish Kumar Sinha said as many as 1,115 cases against private bus operators were booked in the state till Jan 14. Of these, 265 cases were for overcharging passengers, while 850 cases were booked for other violations, such as operating without valid tax payments and operating without a proper permit. Overall, a fine of Rs 68 lakh was imposed on violators, he added.Some passengers complained that during the Sankranti festival, private bus operators collected high ticket prices on routes between Secunderabad and Vizag, Secunderabad and Vijayawada, Secunderabad and Chittoor, Secunderabad and Anantapur, Vijayawada and Srikakulam, Bengaluru and Vijayawada, Bengaluru and Amalapuram, Chennai and Vizag, and a few other destinations. Despite special buses operated by APSRTC and special trains running between various cities, passengers remained heavily dependent on private buses for various reasons.Regular ticket fares for air-conditioned sleeper services (Secunderabad to Vizag city) typically ranged between Rs 2,000 and Rs 2,500, but during the festive week (Jan 10 to 14), these fares surged to Rs 4,000 to Rs 4,500, said V Ganesh, a private firm employee. However, some private bus operators cut the increased fares following complaints to Road Transport Authority (RTA) personnel and increased enforcement drives against the extra fares, he added.Transport commissioner Manish Kumar Sinha said they intensified the inspections and initiated strict action against private bus operators found fleecing passengers with high ticket prices by exploiting the Sankranti festive rush in 2026. "We instructed the private bus operators to display the transport department helpline number 9281607001 on every bus to enable passengers to report overcharging and other issues. The department received calls from passengers from various parts, including Bengaluru, Secunderabad, Vijayawada and Chennai, about the high ticket prices, and our teams immediately resolved the issue. Our teams tracked the ticket prices on online booking platforms," said Manish Kumar Sinha.To accommodate increased demand during the return journey after the Sankranti festival, APSRTC decided to operate special buses to various destinations to ensure adequate and fairly priced travel options for passengers. The Transport department advised passengers to use authorised transport services such as APSRTC or private buses operating with proper permits to ensure safety, comfort and reasonable fares. The department reiterated its commitment to ensuring fair fares, safe travel and strict enforcement of the law.