Airfares remain high even after Kurmi agitation ends

Despite the week-long rail blockades by Kurmi organizations coming to an end and the smooth resumption of long-distance train and bus services, airfares remain high.

On Tuesday night, flights from Ranchi to Kolkata were being sold for Rs 13,800, a significant increase from the usual price of Rs 2,500. Similarly, the airfare from Raipur to Kolkata was being sold for Rs 11,200, up from the usual Rs 4,000-Rs 4,500. Even longer routes, such as Bangalore-Kolkata and Mumbai-Kolkata, were seeing high fares, with prices reaching Rs 8,000 and Rs 7,300, respectively.

Industry experts attribute the spike in airfare to the sudden rise in demand caused by the road and rail blockades. Many people who would have otherwise taken a train or traveled by road to reach Kolkata were forced to take a flight because of the blockades. However, the situation is expected to be temporary, and fares are likely to come down now that the agitations have been suspended.

Anil Punjabi, chairman (east) Travel Agents Federation of India, explained that if the roads and rails were not blocked again, airfares on the Ranchi and Raipur routes would start to decline. Officials at Kolkata airport confirmed that all three daily flights from Raipur and Ranchi had been fully booked over the past few days, with a sudden rush for tickets on the sector.

The rail and road blockades caused significant disruption and inconvenience to commuters, traders, students, and patients' relatives. On Sunday, more than 95 trains were canceled, leaving thousands stranded, while long-distance buses and goods vehicles remained stuck on national highways.

The queues of vehicles stranded on NH-6 led to traffic jams even on adjoining roads in West Midnapore and Jhargram. Rail blocks were held at Kustaur of South Eastern Railway and Khemasuli station of Kharagpur division. The blocks were suspended on Monday, but reports of the harrowing time faced by commuters continued to emerge. The Kurmi organizations had been demanding Scheduled Tribe status.