Hand-pulled rickshaws should have been replaced with electric ones. At least that's the way the urban transport planners feel. Or the void created by the demise of the hand-pulled rickshaw will soon be filled up by some polluting automobiles.
An electric cycle rickshaw can provide a non-polluting and a very silent transport system for urban areas. The low rolling resistance and light weight make the vehicle energy-efficient and cost-effective.
"Surveys by major research institutions in India have shown that improved cycle rickshaws powered by electric motors and batteries have a potential to provide an attractive alternative to petrol and dieselpowered three wheelers," says urban transport planner Animesh Ghoshdastidar. He added that the moment the 6,000-odd rickshaws disappear from the face of the city, a whole lot of auto-rickshaws will be given licences. The autos, as we all know, will fill the vacuum created by the hand-pulled rickshaws with emissions.
