At home or work, while still on the move

CHENNAI: How about going on a road trip for a day or two and still feeling at home? Or consider the possibility of sitting in on a meeting with your team , coupled with the comfort of a luxury office on wheels! No need to  daydream, because these are two innovations by Parveen Travels, Purasaiwalkam. Under a division named Elite Charter, a fleet of high-end vehicles was put on the roads for hire by Parveen Travels. Among them — Star Craft or a ‘House On Wheels’, as it is better known, stand out as vehicles in India that are one of their kind. While it may look like any ordinary luxury bus, its interiors reflect quite differently . Designed like a two-bedroom apartment with one lounge, each replete with an LCD TV, toilet and intercom facilities, the bus is truly a home on wheels. For business professionals on the move, there is also the option of ‘Konferenz on Wheels’ and the interiors are just as snazzy as it’s name. Complete with  boardroom-style cushioning, wireless internet connectivity and a Plasma TV, it is capable of seating 15 people.“We are still in the process of patenting the designs of these two buses,” says A Aarif, Director, Parveen Travels. “Konferenz on Wheels is aimed at corporates who want to make the best use of their travelling time by having meetings in the vehicle. Whereas, House on Wheels was conceptualised for a family looking for a outing but still wanting to feel at home.”With almost a year on the market, the two vehicles have corporate giants like Pepsi and celebrities like actor R Madhavan as clients. “The response has been good. We receive  10-12 booking orders on an average per month,” says Aarif. ‘Konferenz’ can be hired at a budget package of 2 hours or 50km for a price of `8,000  that includes all amenities. For the first class package, the charges are `18,000 for 8 hours or 200km. Hiring the ‘House’ per se, would cost `8,000 for 80km or 8 hours within city limits, but for outside the city, the charge is `16,000 for 200km. Though the prices are on the higher side, Aarif says it all boils down to the affordability of a customer. “Once a person from Bangalore asked for House On Wheels to come to the Karnataka capital and take him to Chennai for a medical check-up. The vehicle went empty to Bangalore, so it depends on what you are willing to pay to get the comfort you want,” says Aarif. For  more details, call 9600196011.