Major airlines have started to take action after the central government intervened to address concerns over skyrocketing airfares to Prayagraj, where crores of devotees are flocking to attend the ongoing Kumbh Mela.
IndiGo, the country's largest airline, has reduced airfares by 30-50% on flights for the Prayagraj route, according to people familiar with the matter.
Air India said it has been adding more capacity in a bid to offer services to the holy city at "affordable" rates. This comes after Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu met airline representatives on Wednesday, urging them to lower ticket prices and add more capacity. The meeting was also attended by aviation secretary Vumlunmang Vualnam, director general of DGCA Faiz Ahmed Kidwai among other officials.
Today, I met airline representatives to review the adequacy of air connectivity to Prayagraj from across the country while ensuring reasonable fares during the once-in-144-years Maha Kumbh Mahotsav. Regular coordination meetings are being held to provide a seamless and… pic.twitter.com/H5DpHAppmj
"In response to the high demand for travel to the Maha Kumbh, Air India is ramping up capacity to the city of Prayagraj," a company spokesperson told NDTV Profit in a statement. "We have introduced a special daily service from Mumbai on Jan. 28 and are adding a second daily service from Delhi starting Feb. 1. The addition of these flights will facilitate more convenient travel for air passengers headed to the Kumbh at affordable fares."
A random check on the travel portal MakeMyTrip reveals that a round-trip ticket from Delhi to Prayagraj on Feb. 26—which coincides with the crucial Maha Shivratri—now costs about Rs 17,000, a significant decrease from the previous fare of Rs 35,000. However, ticket prices from southern cities like Chennai, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru remain high, costing upwards of Rs 31,000.
The Kumbh Mela, which began on Jan. 13, is expected to draw around 45 crore devotees by its conclusion on Feb. 26. So far, the world's largest religious gathering is estimated to have drawn about 20 crore devotees.
Earlier, the government approved an additional 81 flights for the Prayagraj route, increasing the monthly seat capacity to 80,000 to accommodate the influx of travellers ahead of remaining major 'snan' days, which are scheduled for Feb. 3, 4, 12, and 26.
Aviation regulator DGCA will continue to monitor the price band, sources said, adding that the airlines have been directed to provide price ranges for all flights to and from Prayagraj for further evaluation during the meeting.
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