During Diwali, passengers at Zero Point Greater Noida face bus shortages and doubled fares
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During Diwali, passengers at Zero Point Greater Noida face bus shortages and doubled fares

Due to the celebration of Diwali, a large number of people are traveling home with their families, but passengers at Zero Point Greater Noida are experiencing serious difficulties.

Long queues of people waiting for buses have gathered at the location. Many passengers have been forced to remain outside for three or four hours without being able to board the required transport. On Friday, a huge crowd gathered at Zero Point, where people were waiting for buses heading to cities such as Agra, Lucknow, Deoria, and Patna from Bihar. Due to the lack of buses, people have to spend a long time on the road, and many families are forced to sit outdoors.

Passengers reported that even after pre-purchasing tickets online, the buses did not arrive at the scheduled time, leading to hours of waiting. Due to the excessive crowd, passengers lacked even seating space, which particularly worsened the situation for families with small children. Many people sat by the roadside waiting for the bus to arrive.

Passengers accused private carriers and travel agencies of unjustified price hikes. They claim that during Diwali, fares are set twice as high as on ordinary days. Some passengers also stated that they are refused boarding if they refuse to pay the increased amount, which heightens their concern.

Residents in Zero Point note that this situation repeats every year during Diwali and other major holidays. They point out that despite the increase in passenger numbers during the festive period, a sufficient number of buses is not allocated. The people's demands are that additional bus services be launched during holidays and that price control be implemented to prevent predatory fare increases.

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Heavy traffic observed in Delhi-NCR during holidays, leading to taxi fare increases
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Heavy traffic observed in Delhi-NCR during holidays, leading to taxi fare increases

On Friday, severe traffic congestion occurred in Delhi-NCR due to the large number of people shopping for the festivals of Dhanteras and Diwali. The situation was worsened by people traveling with deliveries of sweets and gifts.

Furthermore, a significant number of Delhi-NCR residents left the city to return to their hometowns, which led to overcrowding on roads near railway stations and bus terminals.

Taxi operators capitalized on this activity, and the cost of booking cars and motorcycles increased significantly compared to normal days.

Around 7:00 PM, the cost of a taxi ride via the Ola app from Noida Film City to Delhi Airport was 868 rupees in the priority segment. In the 'Book Any' category, the price ranged from 719 to 887 rupees, with the stated amount being initial, and the actual cost upon ordering could be higher.

This was a peak load time when vehicles moved very slowly in various parts of East, South, Central, and North Delhi. Roads were completely filled, and movement on some routes effectively stopped for one or almost an hour.

By 9:00 PM, the cost of a trip from Noida Film City to Delhi Airport decreased by 200–300 rupees. At that time, the price in the priority taxi segment on Ola was 553 rupees.

Thousands of people are leaving New Delhi Railway Station. At 7:00 PM, the cost of a taxi from Noida Sector-16 to New Delhi Railway Station via Rapido fluctuated between 550 and 907 rupees, although this amount increased upon actual booking.

The cost of a ride on Ola from Noida Film City to Sarai Kale Khan Bus Terminal at 7:00 PM was also recorded, ranging from 491 to 559 rupees. By 9:45 PM, this price dropped, and on Ola from Noida Film City to Sarai Kale Khan Bus Terminal, it was from 390 to 440 rupees.

At 7:00 PM, the cost of a ride on Ola from Noida Film City to Kashmiri Gate Bus Terminal was from 750 to 1100 rupees. At the same time, at 7:00 PM, the cost of a ride on Ola from Noida Sector-16 to Anand Vihar Bus Terminal was from 600 to 680 rupees. By 9:45 PM, the cost of a trip from Noida Film City to Anand Vihar decreased and amounted to from 500 to 567 rupees.

According to the report, some taxi drivers attributed the tariff increase to the increased demand during the holiday season and entry restrictions in Delhi for vehicles that do not meet the BS-VI standard. Some passengers also complained that due to traffic jams, drivers have to use longer routes, which increases the overall trip cost.

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