Bhatinda (Punjab): For Sunita, a housewife in Fazilka, it was earlier quite a long walk before she could get a rickshaw to go to the market. However, these days, all she has to do is pick up her phone and call for one and a chauffered cycle rickshaw is at her doorstep in minutes.
"The walk to a cycle rickshaw stand was long and tiring earlier, but now it's very convenient. I simply call the rickshaw stand and the rickshaw man comes home. My trip back home is also taken care of this way, with nominal rates," says she.
Dial-a-rickshaw is a simple facility, brought together by some keen minds - former IIT Roorkee professor Bhupinder Singh, a local NGO called Graduate Welfare Association of Fazilka (GWAF) and Czech Republic-based World Car Free Network.
Bhupinder Singh believes this innovation is also Fazilka's answer to preventing global warming.
"Our town is inhabited by very intelligent people who are agreeable to the latest activities that will help prevent global warming," says Singh.
The system has also made life much easier for rickshaw pullers, who don't have to cycle from one place to another in search of a customer but can simply wait at their stand until a call is routed to them from a call center, which has beenset up specifically for this purpose.
Rickshaw pullers are more than happy with the system and one such rickshaw puller, Ramesh Kumar, admits that it is indeed a brainwave that will benefit all involved in the system.
With the average trip in the town under three km, Dial-a-Rick has resulted in satisfied commuters, happier rikshaw pullers, and a green technology to boot. So who needs cabs when there are rikshaws around?
Source: www.ibnlive.com
They’re getting tech-savvy here!
Tanveer Thakur
Chandigarh, June 20: Move over taxis, now humble rickshaws are embracing technology like never before. Thanks to this unique initiative, residents of Fazilka town in Punjab, can now access rickshaws over the telephone. The move, that comes into effect today, has been started by ex-IITian Mr Bhupinder Singh to keep the pollution level at Fazilka under control.
The Graduates Welfare Association (GWAF) of former IITians has come up with an idea to put the town on the global map. According to a decision, the town has been linked with the Czech-based World Car Free Network, which already has 100 members.
The local Rickshaw Union is enthusiastic about the implementation of this scheme. Mr Amit Thakral, a member of the union has been put in charge of the project. Fazilka will be the first such town in India where rickshaws shall be available over telephone at the users' point.
GWAF general secretary Mr Navdeep Asija and Mr Thakral said Fazilka had been divided into five zones ~ the area around Sanjeev Cinema, Gaushalla Road, the bus stand, Multani Chungi and Waan Bazaar. A rickshaw call centre would be established in each zone. A telephone would be installed at each call centre where after a rickshaw at one's doorstep will be just a call away.
The rickshaw-puller would reach the desired point within 2 to 3 minutes after receiving the call. According to sources for every 1,500 houses, one call centre had been set up.
Mr Asija and Mr Thakral said the main reason for implementing the scheme was to enhance cleanliness and prevent pollution. They maintained that if the scheme was successful then about 900 litres of petrol and diesel could be saved and 14,000 kg of air pollution would be prevented.
The scheme is useful for this border town as the to and fro distance between different offices here is around 3 km.
Mr Asija also proposed that rickshaw-pullers be given digital identity cards and advertisements of companies could also be put up on rickshaws and the income accrued from this could be used for the health insurance of rickshaw-pullers. The income should also be utilised for designing 50 per cent lighter rickshaws with more luggage space, he added.
Source: The Statesman
Now DIal-A-Rikshaw
Praful C. Nagpal
Fazilka, June 18
To check pollution and enhance the beauty of Fazilka town, the Graduates Welfare Association (GWAF) has come up with an idea to put the town on the global map. According to a decision, the town has been linked with the Czech-based World Car Free Network, which already has 100 members. With this decision, each resident of the town will have access to rickshaw on telephone. The scheme will be launched on June 20, 2008.
The local Rickshaw Union is cooperating in the implementation of this scheme. Amit Thakral of the union is in charge of the project. Fazilka will be the first such town in India where rickshaw shall be available on telephone at the users’ point. There are about 500 rickshaw-pullers in Fazilka.
GWAF general secretary Navdeep Asija and Thakral said Fazilka had been divided into five zones-Sanjeev Cinema roundabout, Gaushalla Road, Bus Stand, Multani Chungi and Waan Bazaar. The rickshaw call centres would be established in each zone. A telephone would be installed at each call centre and any prospective user would get the facility of rickshaw at his home by making a call, they added.
The rickshawpuller would reach the desired point within 2 to 3 minutes after receiving the call. They said for every 1,500 houses, one call centre had been set up.
Asija and Thakral said the main reason for implementing the scheme was to enhance cleanliness and prevent pollution. They maintained that if the scheme was successful then about 900 litres of petrol and diesel could be saved and 14,000 kg of air pollution would be prevented.
The scheme is useful for this border town because to and fro distance between different offices here is around 3 km.
Asija also proposed that rickshawpullers should be given digital identity cards and advertisements of companies could also be put up on rickshaws and the income accrued from this could be used for the health insurance of rickshawpullers. The income should also be utilised for designing 50 per cent lighter rickshaws with more luggage space, he added.
Bhupinder Singh, patron, GWAF, and engineer from IIT, Roorkee, says that he is in touch with the TRIPP Department of the IIT, Delhi. This scheme will generate more employment avenues also.
Source: The Trubune
Dial-A-Rikshan now for you!
A former IIT-Roorkee professor Bhupinder Singh, a local NGO called Graduate Welfare Association of Fazilka (GWAF) and Czech Republic-based World Car Free Network (credited for promoting non-motorised transport in over 100 countries) are trying out a new concept of transportation in India.
Modelled on lines of dial-a-cab, is called Pushpak Sewa and promises to get a man-pedalled rickshaw right to your doorstep once you make a call. Bhupinder Singh believes this innovation is also Fazilka's answer to preventing global warming. Fazilka is a town in Punjab and makes life much easier for rickshaw pullers as well, who don't have to cycle from one place to another in search of a customer but can simply wait at their rickshaw stand until a call is routed to them from a call centre, which has been set specifically for this purpose.
Fazilka which has a 450-member rickshaw union for the last 40 years has been divided into five zones and each zone has a separate centre which would cater to the transportation needs of the public. It is expected to save 900 litres of diesel and petrol and 13,950 kilograms of fresh air which is required to burn fuel in vehicles.
The numbers that have been finalised for calling are 510041,51,61,71 and 81. The team expects to raise money to set up the call centre infrastructure and build advanced cycle rickshaws by allowing bicycle manufacturers, telecom and FMCG companies to put their advertising message on the rickshaw hoods, uniforms of rickshaw pullers. The new version rickshaws will be economically-designed with low floors, offer more luggage space and weigh less 35 kilograms less than the existing ones.
True, Pushpak Sewa has a new answer to the commuting woes of people and shows a new answer to tackle the fuel crisis and environmental problems.
Source: www.wheelsunplugged.com
Dial-a-Rikshaw
Fazilka,June 21:Fazilka in Ferozepur district has become the first town in the country which can boast of having a dial-a-rickshaw facility. Just like taxies in any metros, now any one in Fazilka can call a rickshaw by dialing a number. Named as ‘Eco-Cabs’, use of these rickshaws for short distances would help in reducing the pollution in the town. This facility has been launched in the town late last evening by senior citizens:
The air of the project ‘Eco-Cabs’ is to promote eco friendly, short distance mode of transport besides offering a sustainable livelihood to rickshaw-pullers also. More than 400 rickshaw-pullers are pasrt of this project.
The project has been conceptualized by a retired Prof. Bhupinder Singh of IIT, Roorkee and Project Scientist of IIT, New Delhi, Mr. Navdeep Asija. It has been promoted by NGO Graduates Welfare Association of Fazilka. This association is part of World Car Free Network - a Czech Republic based NGO promoting non-motorised transport across 100 countries.
For having this facility at a call on one’s doorstep, Fazilka has been divided into five zones. Each zone has a separate centre which would cater to the transportation needs of the public.
With this eco-friendly, Fazilka, which has already earned a name by contributing in the field of reducing global warming, has added another feather in its cap.Courtsey : DD NEWS
Source: www.theindiapost.com
Radio-ricks to ecosystem rescue
CHANDIGARH: A bunch of people in small town Punjab may just have thought of another novel way to fight against the threat our ecosystem faces. In the first ever enterprise of its sort, former IIT Roorkee professor Bhupinder Singh, along with local NGO Graduate Welfare Association of Fazilka (GWAF) and Czech Republic-based World Car Free Network, has devised something that can be called a ‘radio-rick’.
Singh, a leading name in alternative energy resource development in the country, will on Friday launch the programme in Fazilka.
The NGO representatives said with the launch, Fazilka would become to rickshaws what Anand village in Gujarat had become to milk cooperatives.
“We have taken help from the rickshaw-puller’s union and not from any other government agency,” said GWAF chief Umesh Kukkar.
Also, the town’s residents won’t need to hail a rickshaw on the street as the people can call one by phone. The easy-to-remember numbers for calling the ‘radio-ricks’ will be 510041, 51, 61, 71 and 81.
So it won’t just be the rickshaw bell that will ring but also phones at the call centre created specifically for the purpose.
This centre is being provided by local progressive farmer Vikram Ahuja, who owns the first private call centre for farmers of the state.
Initially, the rickshaws will be stationed at five locations in the town identified as north, south, east, west and centre. Singh said rickshaws will be available to commuters within 5-10 minutes of calling. “This will save the time for the commuters and gives equal opportunity of work to all these pullers,” said Singh. He said the average trip length within the town was less then 3 km and so these rickshaws were most suitable.
