Sky-high air fares prick Maha Kumbh Mela pilgrims’ bubble

Hyderabad: Finding a commute to Prayagraj is becoming a daunting task for the passengers planning to visit the Maha Kumbh Mela, with the prices of the flight tickets having increased four times and the train commuters facing the problem of a long waiting list.

With the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj being held after 144 years, the devotees want to be part of the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. However, with the huge rush of passengers, commuting has become highly expensive as the flyers are made to shell out four times the normal fares.

Only Indigo has a direct flight to Prayagraj from Hyderabad and the airline runs flights three days in a week viz. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. According to the agents, the least expensive flight for trips to Prayagraj usually costs Rs 6,400 but with the high demand, the ticket prices are four times high – ranging around Rs 25,000 to Rs 32,000. Indigo operates two types of flights, one a direct flight to Prayagraj and another has a stopover at Raipur, the capital of Chhattisgarh. For January 28, the ticket prices are 30,626 in Indigo flight from 10.50 am to 12.45 pm. On January 30, there are two flights – the first flight’s price is around Rs 22,822 with one stop at Raipur and second flight which is a non-stop one is priced at Rs 30,220.

Similarly, for February 4, the flight charges are Rs 23,530 with one stop and Rs 26,741 for a non-stop flight.

Other aviation companies are also operating for Prayagraj but these flights are having one or more stops from different parts of the country.

While the flight fares are frightening, the waiting list in the trains is making the passengers jittery. According to official sources, the waiting list for the train to Prayagraj is over 100 for the entire month of February. With journey time being almost 23 hours, people want a confirmed ticket.

Besides the regular Danapur Super Fast Express, around 180 special trains were being operated to Kumbh and recently even a Bharat Gaurav commenced its journey for Prayagraj. The services began from January 8 and are likely to run till the last week of February. Almost all the trains were running with almost full occupancy.

The third option is by road but it would be risky since it would be over 1,100 kms from Hyderabad. Besides being tiresome, pilgrims would have to walk for almost 10 km to reach the Sangam place as the authorities have denied permission to private vehicles.