Omni buses fleece passengers

CHENNAI: Cashing in on the huge demand from the commuters, who are desperate to visit their native places in other districts for the Pongal festival, omni bus operators have hiked the usual fare by 50 per cent.According to sources, passengers paid Rs 800 on Thursday to travel to Tiruchy by ordinary bus services , which was otherwise Rs 400 on the usual days. Similarly, the fare for Coimbatore was fixed at Rs 900, Tirunelveli `1300 and Hyderabad Rs 1400.It is also said that bus operators from other parts of the State have also picking up passengers with exorbitant fare to Chennai.