Date:20/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/20/stories/2008122058660200.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Shuttling between sabhas made easy

Meera Srinivasan

CHENNAI: Bargaining with unreasonable autorickshaw drivers may not be the best sequel to a refreshing music concert at a sabha. Keeping such listeners in mind, who largely rely on public transport or autorickshaws, a free shuttle service between sabhas has been made available.

An initiative of Adani Wilmar, the makers of Fortune Sunflower edible oil, the ‘Fortune Carnatic Express’ was launched last year and the service is available this year, too. As part of the publicity campaign taken up by Ogilvy & Mather Advertising, a fleet of six vans have been stationed around different sabhas in Mylapore and T. Nagar, to offer free trips to listeners.

The service, launched on December 12 is available till January 2. A listener who steps out of a sabha could board the ‘Fortune Carnatic Express’ and ask for a drop at another sabha. If a van is not seen there, they could call the 92822 32333 helpline, and the nearest van would be sent to the sabha, a spokesperson of O&M said.

On weekdays, the service is available between 2 p.m. and 10 p.m. On Sundays, it is available from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. The sabhas covered in Mylapore are Mylapore Fine Arts, Brahma Gana Sabha, Parthasarathy Swami Sabha, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, PS High School, Narada Gana Sabha. In T. Nagar are Vani Mahal, Mudhra, Karnataka Sangha Sabha and Indian Fine Arts Society (Bala Mandir, German Hall) are covered.

T. Nagar resident S. Sowrirajan, who used the service once to go from Vani Mahal to Krishna Gana Sabha says it was convenient. “Even otherwise, we manage. Once, I called and my call went to the message box with a recorded message. In such circumstances, I’d rather carry on, than wait for someone to get back on whether there is a possibility of a van arriving,” he says.