subject: Passenger tricycles - The only non-polluting vehicles in the world [print this page] Passenger tricycles - The only non-polluting vehicles in the world
The only non-polluting vehicles in the world
These vehicles are everywhere from from Chandigarh to Vidarbha, from Jaipur to Varanasi, from Moradabad to Hyderabad (they are all cities in India). They breathe air like us and need no fuel to get them going. They are noiseless, pollution free, eco friendly and need hardly any maintenance.
Now that Commonwealth Games are starting from October 3, one of the most less talked conveyance is rickshaw (three wheeled passenger tricycle) that will be seen by many on the Delhi roads by the visiting teams and the sports lovers who will throng the national capital of India, New Delhi.
They came to the rescue of Taj Mahal in Agra, when the carbon dioxide emissions from auto-rickshaws and motor vehicles were staining its facade. They were the only vehicles given permission by the authorities to ply in the vicinity of Taj, one of the seven wonder of the world. Yet they have been neglected and undervalued by all of us. They are even viewed as a 'nuisance' by some people. Yes, you may have guessed it correctly by now. We are indeed talking about the cycle rickshaws.
The rickshaw criss crosses the intriguing arteries of many a radial roads and by lanes of most Indian towns and cities. While all lung power is used to bring in environmental friendly vehicles, this noiseless transport is still believed to be a down market poor man's choice to cover distances not beyond four kilometers in one goes. But the patrons of this 'magical invention' vouch that it can go up to 15 kilometers kilometers at a stretch if its plier/driver has the passion to earn a few extra bucks and the stamina to complete the marathon.
Not a glutton when it comes to eating road space, it fits neatly into a 12 sq feet measurement and can take a load of over 100 kilograms with ease. The passenger seat is designed towards a lower slant to lighten the pull of gravity for the driver. Whether it is a car or a rickshaw, one feels the bumps on pot-holed roads - the only difference, however, is the chance of being tossed out from the latter unless the rider has a tight hold on the grippers which are in elongated O shape on both sides of the rickshaw.
The rickshaw may be the slowest but is the safest though it has been disallowed to ply on the bigger roads in several metro cities. This is because of the speeding traffic that may cause danger to it.
Cars emit greater amounts of pollutants while moving slowly during traffic snarls or when stationary with an idling engine but the rickshaw has no such problems since it is intrinsically a slow moving, pollution-free system of transport. A car takes at least eight times the road space as compared to a rickshaw and rickshaws can go 'bumper to bumper' without any risk of accidents and thus represent better utilization of road space.
In the developing countries most of the cities are very congested with narrow lanes which cannot be broadened for practical reasons. On such roads, the plying of rickshaws is a boon. It is an extremely maneuverable vehicle and can move with ease in congested areas. In some cities and smaller towns they are the major means of transport and provide employment to 7,00,000 rickshaw pullers.
Rickshaw in India has already proven to be a cost effective way of reducing carbon di oxide emissions and securing better livelihood with no extra burden to the government.
Collapsible hooded rickshaws are the older versions while those having a permanent canopy are the newer models. And now a firm from Firozabad in Uttar Pradesh is launching battery operated electric rickshaws which can speed up to 25 km. per hour. They are equipped with front and rear brakes with head and tail lamps besides having right and left indicators. These battery operated rickshaws have received clearance from the government and will shortly be seen on the Indian roads .The price of this rickshaw is slated to be about three times more than the existing rickshaw which has a tag of Rs 7,000.
The cycle rickshaws originated in Japan where this man-powered vehicle was called 'jinrikisha. This vehicle with minor modifications is widely used in Asian countries and is called by different names like trishaw, pedicab, cyclo and becak. Nowadays , it is also being referred to as 'developing world's taxicab'.
Even the developed countries are beginning to discover its value. Rickshaws are seen as symbols of future in developed nations, an environment friendly means of transport. On New York's fifth avenue, people can be spotted looking for rickshaws in the evening. In North America and Europe cycle rickshaws are finding favour with the commuters. In towns and cities of China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and other Asian countries, rickshaws are a popular mode of transport. In Singapore, one finds smartly dressed young men driving cycle rickshaws as a popular tourist attraction.
Modernisation of the cycle rickshaw in India and its improved design and efficiency could be a win-win situation - from improving the city environment to providing gainful employment and also a cheaper mode of transport. We should seriously look at it as an alternative transport system of the future and as a feeder service for metro trains and the city's bus service.
