One can quickly take pleasure in a luxurious bus caravan journey to go to varied temples in South India. As temple tourism is catching up, the Chennai-based SRM Group has determined to close down its long-distance bus transport enterprise, and convert lots of its luxurious buses, together with Mercedes Benz, Volvo and Scania, into caravans.
The corporate, one of many largest non-public bus operators in India, has round 150 hi-techbuses, together with Mercedes-Benz (28), Scania (18) and Volvo (38). “Because of excessive operational difficulties, together with the escalating diesel price, we can’t run the transport enterprise,” mentioned the group’s Chairman, Ravi Pachamuthu. Covid has additionally aggravated the disaster, and the enterprise incurred vital losses.
On changing a bus in to caravan would l price ₹50-60 lakh every, he informed BusinessLine.
On bus caravans
The group has sturdy presence in training, healthcare, hospitality and media, aside from transportation. At current, there are various bus caravans utilized by professionals like movie artists. Some even rent it for adventures. Nevertheless, temple tourism is first-of-its-kind, he added. “Wherever there’s a distinguished temple, we plan to have an honest resort there,” mentioned Pachamuthu. The temple tourism plan suits properly into that technique. The corporate owns 5 lodges in Chennai, Thoothukudi and Tiruchi, he mentioned.
SRM Transport used to function long-distance bus service from Tamil Nadu to the most important cities in Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, and to numerous districts inside the state. There are round 700 workers, he mentioned. The transport division additionally was once within the cargo enterprise, which has additionally being shut.
Temple tourism goes to be an enormous attraction sooner or later. “Having made a mark within the long-distance luxurious bus phase, we need to make a mark within the temple tourism sector,” he mentioned. “We are going to cowl all the most important temples within the South,” he added
The SRM group has its personal body-building unit — SRM Auto Tec — the place the chassis are transformed in to buses. This unit is now concerned in changing the buses into caravans, he mentioned.
Different options
“We’re additionally getting enquiries from different corporations to make caravans,” he mentioned. A bus caravan, which is sort of a resort room, comes with a sofa-cum-bed, aster bed room and pantry.
Apparently, as parking of buses shall be a serious drawback close to the temples, the bus caravan could have automotive contained in the car. The bus caravan shall be parked away, and the automotive shall be used to take passengers to the temple and return, he mentioned.
Printed on
Could 03, 2022
