The festive commute is proving expensive for Mumbaikars planning to travel outside the city in private buses. Anticipating the surge in bookings, private operators have jacked up fares from December 23.

A city-based non-profit group, the Citizens’ Action Forum (CAF), has lodged a Public Interest Litigation in the Bombay High Court to restrict this practice. Convenor of the CAF, Flynn Remedios, had a first-hand experience of the “arbitrary” method of charging bus fares.From being charged Rs 400 last week, he was charged Rs1,500 per seat. “Even if it is the peak season, fares should be fixed for the festive season, and not changed every hour.”

As per a report in DNA by Akshay Deshmane, the arbitrariness was stark amongst bus operators and travel agents who book bus tickets to Goa. Travel agents and operators in Dadar and Borivali quoted varying ticket rates according to the day of travel. December 24 and 25 had the highest rates. The prominent names in the private bus business, Neeta Tours and Travels and Vijayanand Travels, jacked up rates for their AC Volvo buses by Rs2,500, and Rs1,600 respectively.

However, the booking centres of these private operators said that the rates for the festive period were fixed for categories of tickets, and did not vary as per days.

A travel agent at Dadar selling bus tickets said, “The rates have been brought into effect since December 23 and are likely to continue at least till December 31.” Another operator quoted ahigher rate for AC Volvo (sleeper): Rs2,200 on December 24 and Rs1,900 for December 28.

According to Remedios this is a violation of the Monopolies and Trade Restrictive Practises Act. “This sort of predatory pricing is unfair to the commuter,” said Remedios.