Chennai, Oct 11 (IANS): It was not an air conditioned bus nor was it a car that ferried the reporters to the media centre set up at the five star Sheraton Grand Chennai Resort & Spa to cover the second informal India-China Summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The media were transported in five police vans to the media centre, about 20 km from Mahabalipuram.
For many journalists here, it was for the first time that they boarded the police vans, resulting in jocular comments like `travelling in a police convoy'.
They also pitied the police who had to travel in such small vans with seats enough only for one-and-half-adult.
The East Coast Road (ECR) leading to the sculpture town Mahabalipuram wore a deserted look in viw of the strict security arrangements.
It was like a bandh as almost all the shops enroute were closed down.