AP bans online bus ticket booking
Here is the big blow for online bus ticketing websites .Andhra Pradesh state government has banned the booking of private bus tickets through online.The decision has been made after two ghastly accidents killed more than 50 innocent passengers . Things went clampdown on the private operators after two accidents -- the first one killed 45 in Andhra Pradesh's Mahbubnagar and the second took place in Haveri (Karnataka), killing seven.
The transport department authorities claim that under Indian law, the private players are only given permission to ply group tours between places and are not allowed to sell tickets individually.
The decision came to life of shock among private bus operators and will definitely hurt famous bus online ticketing companies like Redbus and Abhibus. "It will impact the entire industry," said Phanindra Sama, chief executive of RedBus".
The impact is mostly felt in Andhra Pradesh. Operations in rest of states are nearly normal," he said. Andhra Pradesh accounts for a fifth of the private bus market, which currently is at about Rs 15,000 crore. The total bus ticketing market in the country, including the share of various government-operated ones, is at about Rs 40,000 crore.
The transport department authorities claim that under Indian law, the private players are only given permission to ply group tours between places and are not allowed to sell tickets individually.
The decision came to life of shock among private bus operators and will definitely hurt famous bus online ticketing companies like Redbus and Abhibus. "It will impact the entire industry," said Phanindra Sama, chief executive of RedBus".
The impact is mostly felt in Andhra Pradesh. Operations in rest of states are nearly normal," he said. Andhra Pradesh accounts for a fifth of the private bus market, which currently is at about Rs 15,000 crore. The total bus ticketing market in the country, including the share of various government-operated ones, is at about Rs 40,000 crore.