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Mangaluru, Dec 24: As the coastal districts of Mangaluru and Udupi gear up for the year-end festivities—ranging from Christmas Eve midnight masses to the influx of tourists for the upcoming temple festivals—the joy of "coming home" has been met with a harsh financial reality. Private bus operators are facing intense backlash for "predatory pricing," with ticket costs from Bengaluru to the coast skyrocketing by over 300% overnight.

A Seasonal Extortion?

For the thousands of students and professionals working in Karnataka’s capital, the 350km journey to the coast is a seasonal ritual. However, this year, the "homecoming" has turned into a luxury few can afford.

Standard sleeper coach tickets, which usually retail between ₹800 and ₹1,000, are currently being sold on major aggregators for anywhere between ₹2,800 and ₹3,600.

"It’s not just a surge; it’s extortion," says Rohan Saldanha, a Mangaluru native who works in Whitefield. "I waited to book my tickets thinking prices would stabilize, but now I’m paying nearly the price of a flight ticket just to sit on a bus for nine hours."

The Operator’s Defense

Private transport unions have been quick to defend the move, citing the "Empty Return" factor. They argue that while every seat to Mangaluru and Udupi is occupied this week, the buses return to Bengaluru almost entirely empty, leading to a massive operational deficit.

"We are not the villains here," one operator claimed. "Between rising toll charges on the Shiradi Ghat and the high cost of diesel, we have to make the most of these four days to keep our business viable for the rest of the year."

Government Intervention: Too Little, Too Late?

The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has attempted to bridge the gap by deploying 500 extra 'Special' buses to the coastal region. While these government-run services are priced more reasonably, they were fully booked within hours of the announcement, leaving late-comers at the mercy of private players.

The Transport Department has reportedly dispatched "Sleeper Squads" to major boarding points like Madiwala and Majestic to check for overcharging, but commuters claim the checks are superficial and do little to bring down the digital prices listed on apps.
The Regional Impact

The price hike doesn't just affect families; it hits the local economy. Udupi, currently bustling with pilgrims and tourists visiting the Sri Krishna Matha for year-end darshans, and Mangaluru, vibrant with Christmas celebrations, both rely on this seasonal influx. High travel costs threaten to dampen the tourism footfall that local businesses depend on.

Mangaluru, Dec 20: The Mangaluru City Police have issued a detailed traffic advisory ahead of the inaugural ceremony of Karavali Utsava, which will be held at the Karavali Utsava Ground on Saturday.

The festival will be inaugurated at 6:00 pm by Dakshina Kannada District Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao. Cultural and public programmes will be held at the venue every evening and will continue until January 2.

According to City Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy, parking of vehicles is strictly prohibited on both sides of the road from Lalbagh to Karavali Utsava Ground. Visitors are requested to park their vehicles only at designated parking areas.

To help the public, traffic signboards and parking guidance flex boards have been installed along the routes leading to the venue. The police have urged commuters and visitors to follow these instructions to ensure smooth traffic movement.

Designated Parking Locations

•    Urwa Market Ground – Cars
•    Gandhinagar Government School (near Press Club) – Two-wheelers and cars
•    Ladyhill Church parking area – Two-wheelers and cars
•    Canara School Ground, Mannagudda – Two-wheelers and cars
•    Thimmappa Hotel premises – Two-wheelers and cars
•    Scout and Guide Bhavana premises (behind Karavali Utsava Grounds) – Two-wheelers
•    Urwa Market Road – Two-wheelers
•    Hat Hill Road – Two-wheelers

The police have appealed to the public to cooperate by following traffic rules and parking guidelines to avoid inconvenience during the festival.

A 30-year-old man from Kumragodu village in Brahmavar taluk has been cheated of Rs 15,95,005.90 in an online investment fraud linked to a bogus e-commerce and digital marketing scheme.

According to the complaint filed by Arun Acharya, he came across an advertisement on Instagram on July 22, 2024, posted by an entity calling itself “E BOSS Marketing & Services Company,” which claimed to offer lucrative opportunities in e-commerce, digital marketing, and dropshipping.

After contacting the mobile number mentioned in the advertisement, the accused began communicating with him via WhatsApp and provided training on investing money and earning profits. Initially, Arun received high returns on his investment, which helped gain his confidence.

Trusting the scheme to be genuine, he transferred money in phases between September 2024 and December 19, 2024, through NEFT transactions to bank accounts of E BOSS Marketing & Services Company, allegedly owned by one Har Simran Singh. The total amount transferred was Rs 15,95,005.90.

However, after receiving the money, the accused stopped paying returns and failed to refund the invested amount, thereby cheating the complainant.

Based on the complaint, Brahmavar police have registered a case under Sections 66(C) and 66(D) of the Information Technology Act and are investigating the matter.