A visit to Tirumala, Kalahasti or any other destination in Andhra Pradesh from Tamil Nadu or vice ve`a by bus has become a costly affair thanks to the hike in diesel prices.
With APSRTC buses hiking the bus fare from Rs 20 to Rs 150 for several destinations in TN from Tuesday, the state transport corporation is also contemplating to increase the bus fare in all its AP-bound buses from Wednesday.
“We received the revised fare list of APSRTC on Tuesday, based on which our fares will be increased shortly,” said sources and added that around 100 buses were being operated to Andhra Pradesh by Villupuram corporation including 52 from Kanchipuram division (including Koyambedu) and 40 from Vellore division, besides state express transport corporation’s 20 buses.
According to transport officials, fares in Andhra Pradesh bound buses would be hiked from Wednesday.
“As per the inter state agreement, whenever the bus fare is hiked in th other state, the bus fare in neighbouring state’s inte`tate services can also be increased. Hence, we will increase fares in AP-bound buses,” said a senior transport official.
Post hike, fares in APSRTC buses have gone up considerably.
Sources in the APSRTC told DC that the fare had been hiked in all its 194 TN-bound buses.
“The fare in the express buses, majority among three categories of services, plying from Chennai to Tirupati has been increased by Rs 16 from Rs 104 to Rs 120 while the deluxe bus fares increased to Rs 144 from Rs 130,” said an APSRTC official.
And the fare of much-preferred Chennai-Tirumala services has shot up to whopping Rs 194 from Rs 172. Similarly fare to Hyderabad has been hiked to Rs 663 (earlier Rs 568) and Rs 459 (`408) to Vijayawada, added the sources.