Kadamba Transport Corporation fares peak with season

MARGAO: Fares for interstate travel on Kadamba Transport Corporation (KTC) buses will not be uniform 365 days a year. The loss making corporation has taken a conscious decision to hike fares during the peak season to cash in on the demand for seats from passengers.
KTC officials said prices are hiked during the peak season to remain competitive and be profitable, but that they have still kept fares below the maximum the corporation can charge.They added that the hike was necessary given that KTC was suffering from losses and needed to recover quickly.
"We have kept these (increased) rates during the peak season only. April is peak time. If you check the maximum rates as per stage carriage we can charge around 1,075 but we have kept our rates at 1,000," KTC managing director Venancio Furtado told TOI.
When pointed out that KTC rates are higher than what private bus operators are charging, he said, "Unlike private operators, our rates do no fluctuate and we keep the rates listed on our website," Furtado said, pointing out that private buses play with their rates.
"Generally, for working days or for weekends we check with market data and try to earn the maximum fare available," Furtado added.
The last week has been one such period that saw a surge in the number of tourists arriving in the state. Many of those who chose to travel by KTC were unpleasantly surprised by the hike in prices of interstate bus tickets.
"I went out of my way to buy a KTC bus ticket as I thought it was safer and cheaper given that it's a government run enterprise but it was more expensive than other buses," Bradley Dias, who had come to Goa to attend a function, said.
For instance, the price of a Volvo AC bus seat from Mumbai to Goa for Wednesday is priced at 1,000.
Last Sunday, travellers to Goa paid 800 for the service on a private Volvo bus operator.
On Tuesday many travelers were seen opting for private Volvo services whose tickets were around Rs 650. "I have a family of four and I end up saving Rs 600 if I take a private bus," Margao resident Shyam Lotlikar, who was leaving to Mumbai on Tuesday evening, said.
From P1
The fare for a similar KTC bus from Goa to Bangalore or Pune was Rs 1,000, while a ticket to Shirdi was priced at Rs 950.
Newly appointed KTC chairman Carlos Almeida said that if there were complaints from customers he would take it up at the next board meeting. "In my opinion, KTC prices should be on par with the other rates but it is equally important to note that KTC can be competitive through the services and rates offered by them," Almeida said.