Passengers travelling to their hometowns ahead of the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections are facing difficulties due to steep hikes in omni bus fares.
Polling is scheduled to be held on April 23, 2026, prompting a large number of people residing in cities such as Chennai to travel back to their native places to cast their votes.
To manage the rush, the State Express Transport Corporation has arranged 5,574 special buses from April 21. However, passengers unable to secure tickets on government buses have turned to private omni buses.
Taking advantage of the increased demand, several omni bus operators have sharply raised fares on routes connecting Chennai to major cities including Madurai, Coimbatore, Salem, Tiruchirappalli, Tirunelveli and Nagercoil.
The fare for a sleeper bus from Chennai to Tirunelveli, which is usually around Rs. 1,400, has surged to nearly Rs. 3,000 for April 21 and 22. Similarly, fares to Thoothukudi have risen from Rs. 1,700 to around Rs. 3,200.
On the Chennai–Madurai route, ticket prices have increased from about Rs. 1,100 to as high as Rs. 3,500, while fares to Tiruchirappalli have gone up from Rs. 1,500 to around Rs. 2,600.
Passengers have expressed concern over the sharp increase, urging authorities to regulate fares and ensure affordable travel during the election period.
