CHENNAI: Having started their journey as the 'Hop On and Hop Off' services in Chennai carrying tourists three years ago, the four luxury air-conditioned coaches, which were converted into shuttle services for ferrying passengers from the Airport to the city in 2011 continue to have an 'unsettled voyage'. From being transferred between State-owned Transport Corporations, thanks to their inability to woo commuters at the Airport, the mini-buses are all set to undergo another change with the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) deciding to divert its route yet again. The much-touted services were introduced during February 2009 in Chennai by the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) based at Villupuram on the lines of Hop on and Hop off London. The MTC had refused to take up the task, citing a financial crunch. Four air-conditioned mini-buses were pressed into service for the Chennai city tour covering 16 significant tourist spots including Fort St George, Marina Beach, Kapaleeswarar Temple, Guindy National Park, Valluvar Kottam, Government Egmore Museum and Ripon Building. Tourists could hop on and off, as the buses would shuttle between tourist spots through the day.But right from the start, the coaches were like white elephants for the TNSTC, with the services suffering poor patronage, except during the tourist season.When the transport authorities approached the tourism department to take over the services, the latter refused leading to the transfer of these coaches to the MTC, bringing down the curtains on the 'hop on and off' in Chennai. Thereafter, the four mini-buses were operated as shuttle services for passengers landing and proceeding to the Meenambakkam Airport from November last year. Now, the services are to be operated only on one stretch towards Tiruvanmiyur in south Chennai via Kathipara Junction, Guindy, Adyar and Besant Nagar from next month.
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