The
future green transportation
India had one
of the greenest transportations at one point of time, modes such as Cycle Rickshaws,
Horse driven carriages commonly called as Tonga’s etc. We had to forego them
because of reasons such as advancement in technology, inhumane conditions for
the cycle rickshaw pullers and ill treatment to animals. Also with increase in
traffic in major cities where these were in use, they had to be stopped as it
was adding to the slow moving traffic. Now we are trying go back to the green
transportation by adopting CNG busses and Metro trains. My thinking is we can
revive the cycle rickshaws because it will add a variety to the city’s charm.
We can limit these cycle rickshaws in and around tourist spots and not in the
business areas. By doing this we can not only ensure livelihood for the poor
people but also add another attraction to tourism. These cycle rickshaws can be
electric driven, by doing this we are avoiding manual labour or hiring humans
to do tough jobs. Another greener and efficient idea is to make them hybrid. As
we all know met is difficult to capture
any sunlight on a cloudy day. These cycle rickshaws can have solar panels mounted
on the roof. This will allow the vehicles to run on solar energy when there is
enough sunlight and any excess energy can be stored in a battery which acts as
a back up on a cloudy day. Now how does the driver know that there is a
charging station nearby? He will get an alert on a small screen with a map
which will send a ping to the main centre which provides directions, only after
reading the amount of charge left. This centre will be completely mechanised to
avoid human error. So this computer will estimate the amount of power left and
the distance he can cover at a given speed.
What should he do if he
runs out of charge completely?
In such an event
which may happen rarely, the good old pedal is always an option. Since these
rickshaws are only around tourist spots, there should be a charging point for
the battery close by allowing the rickshaw pullers to pedal them till the
charging destination.
Cost on road?
It would be
sold through public transport authorities at a reasonable price that is
affordable. Once charged it should travel roughly 100kmGovernment should also
give easy loan for people to purchase and use them on roads.
Does it need separate
lanes?
Yes as, if it
is hit by a vehicle it there is no chance of any survival. Hence a dedicated
lane for these cycle rickshaws will do a world of good.
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