Festival fares frenzy: Chhath puja travel woes as air tickets skyrocket to ₹35,000

Mumbai (The Uttam Hindu): Ahead of the Chhath festival, residents of Purvanchal and Bihar living in Mumbai are facing significant difficulties in returning home. Due to the festival, air ticket prices from Mumbai to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar have skyrocketed. Flight tickets that normally cost between ₹5,000 and ₹8,000 have now reached ₹15,000 and ₹20,000.

Flight tickets from Mumbai to Patna, which used to cost between 6,500 and 9,000 rupees, now cost between 17,000 and 35,000 rupees. Air India's Mumbai-Patna ticket is available for 30,873 rupees, while IndiGo is charging between 20,836 and 29,709 rupees.

The same is true for those traveling from Mumbai to Varanasi (Banaras). Between October 17th and 21st, SpiceJet tickets are available for ₹14,758 to ₹19,546, Akasa Air for ₹19,238 to ₹19,953, and Indigo for ₹17,838.

Flight ticket prices have been increased not only for Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, but also for other destinations. A standard ticket from Jodhpur to Mumbai costs ₹6,297, but the same ticket for October 25th and 26th is available for ₹12,875. Meanwhile, a Saturday ticket from Mumbai to Jodhpur costs ₹17,864.

Passengers have virtually run out of options other than air travel and trains. While the Railways has run additional special trains for the festive season, they are proving insufficient to meet the growing demand. Waiting lists on almost all major routes from Mumbai to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar have reached hundreds. Passengers are forced to overcrowd general coaches at Kurla, Bandra, Mumbai Central, Kalyan, Thane, and CST Terminus.