From Monday, tourists to and from Mamallapuram can use Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation’s hop-on hop-off buses to visit various locations enroute. The Corporation has kept five buses ready to run the service specifically for the Chess Olympiad and 19 stops have been identified.
Sandeep Nanduri, Managing Director, Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC), told The Hindu that the buses would start from Madhya Kailash in Chennai and run via Rajiv Gandhi Salai up to Sholinganallur junction from where they will take the East Coast Road.
The buses will stop at SRP Tools, PTC Quarters, Dakshinachitra, Muttukadu and Thiruvidandhai. The facility, to be run every hour, will be free and no charge would be collected from those using it.
“We are expecting many people to visit Mamallapuram for the Chess Olympiad, which is why this facility will be available until the end of the Olympiad. The Corporation has planned to procure buses permanently to implement hop-on hop-off buses on a permanent basis,” he said.
Autos for tourists
The Corporation is set to launch tourist-friendly autorickshaws in the temple town. “We are providing training to the drivers and are decorating their vehicles so that they can be easily identified. These will not overcharge and will continue to run even after the Olympiad for the sake of tourists visiting Mamallapuram,” Mr. Nanduri added.
Balan, a tourist guide of Mamallapuram who welcomed both the facilities, said that more drivers operating in the town could be roped in and trained so that everyone will benefit. Incentive should be given to them so that they continue to charge nominally despite very high fuel prices, he said.
He said a hop-on hop-off bus service could be run from Mamallapuram to nearby destinations like Thiruvidandhai, Thiruporur and Thirukazhukundram and local guides could be provided the job of explaining about these temples to tourists.
