The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Autorickshaws take tourist-friendly road

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Wednesday, May 28, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Autorickshaws take tourist-friendly road

Staff Reporter

The vehicles will display visuals of famous tourist spots in the State

The drivers are equipped with travel books to guide tourists and trained to behave cordially

Photo S. Thanthoni

More sociable: The new tourist-friendly autorickshaws at Island Ground in Chennai on Tuesday. —

CHENNAI: Autorickshaws will now be the vehicle for tourism promotion in Tamil Nadu. The Tourism Department on Tuesday launched 39 new “tourist-friendly autorickshaws”.

Speaking at the launch function at the Island Grounds here, Tourism Minister N. Suresh Rajan said the number of domestic and foreign tourists visiting the State grew from 7.7 per cent to 29.2 per cent between 2005 and 2007. Initiatives such as these will help attract more tourists, he said.

Transport minister K. N. Nehru said these autorickshaw drivers would strictly abide by the meter so that passengers would develop trust in them.

Commissioner of Tourism M. Rajaram said the drivers have been insured against accidents. Their families have also been provided health insurance policy. The drivers of the tourist-friendly autorickshaws would also possess identity cards issued by the Tourism Department.

Painted in pale yellow, the autorickshaws have visuals of famous tourist spots in the State on their body. They will be available at major tourist destinations in the city. The drivers are equipped with travel books to guide tourists. They have also been trained to behave cordially.

Some of the drivers can also speak foreign languages.

The initiative marks the beginning of the department’s efforts to give a tourist-friendly image makeover to autorickshaw drivers who have been generally perceived as fleecers.

The department has tapped the experience of drivers who have previously handled tourists outside popular luxury hotels in the city.

Mr.Rajan said this was an experiment and if successful, it would be extended to other tourist spots in the State. Transport Commissioner C.P. Singh participated in the function.

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