The Marathi-Kannada language row that affected political discourses in the two states has now spilt over to other facets of state affairs as well.

Marathi-Kannada Language Dispute

After the language row escalated, bus operators from both states halted interstate bus services owing to passenger safety. This also includes state government-owned operators, namely Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation and Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation.

This development appears to have sent the airfares for transport between Mumbai and Bengaluru climbing.

MSRTC runs around 250 daily services to Karnataka, meanwhile, KSRTC operates close to 120 buses every day from Belgavi to different parts of Maharashtra.

Flight Charges Surge

When we look at the airfares, as per travel and hotel website MakeMyTrip, the dynamic pricing for a one-way journey alone could cost travellers around Rs 10,000 - 12,000.

Flight fares in February
Flight fares in February

Now, this fare or batch of rate for flight that will take off tomorrow, that is, February 24 is three times as much as the fare, that may be levied from the passengers for those who intend to travel in April (24).

Mind you, late April and most of May are considered peak times for travel, due to school or summer vacation.

As per the website, the current pricing for tickets for April 24, once again, for a One-Way journey is in the average of Rs 3,000 - Rs 5,000.

Flight fares in April
Flight fares in April

Marathi-Kannada Controversy

Although tensions between the two states over the bordering towns Karnataka, namely Belgavi and Kalburgi have persisted for years, things took a turn for the worse, when a KSRTC bus conductor was allegedly manhandled in Belagavi after an altercation over language.

Thereafter, an MSRTC bus driver was assaulted by a pro-Kanada group, triggering protests in Maharashtra.

Among the routes affected are the bus services originating or terminating at Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Dharashiv, Sangli, Solapur, Kolhapur, Sawantwadi in Maharashtra. When it comes to the southern state, routes originating or terminating at Belgavi, Mysuru, Bengaluru, Bijapur and Niphani have been impacted.