TMC will purchase a solar-powered rickshaw. Incase the results are satisfactory, the civic body will loan the environment-friendly vehicle to self-help women groups and others
To boster its efforts for infrastructural development to attain the staus of ‘smart city’, the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) has decided to use renewable sources of energy for public transport.
Under a pilot project, TMC will purchase a solar-powered rickshaw. Incase the results are satisfactory, the civic body will loan the environment-friendly vehicle to self-help women groups and others.
Sunil Chavan, Additional Commissioner of TMC, on Monday, tested a solar rickshaw manufactured by Uttarakhand’s Lohia Group.
“We have taken this rickshaw on pilot basis to see how useful it can be to TMC and the citizens,” says Chavan.
The rickshaw with a seating capacity for four passengers and the driver is powered by four solar batteries with a charging time of eight hours, which means that the rickshaw has to be left under sunlight for eight hours to be charged. As the vehicle would be running under the sun throughout the day, it keeps charging itself. The auto can to ride for upto 100 km with fully charged batteries.
“The speed of the vehicle is 30 km to 40 km per hour and we are going to test it for the next 10 days,” said Chavan who himself drove the vehicle for some time as a part of the testing.
Apart from women self-help groups, the vehicle will also be maintained by the providers, he added.
TMC also wants to use the vehicle for garbage collection. “It’s a good vehicle and we will try to use it for TMC’s work also,” said Chavan,
At a cost of nearly Rs 1.80 lakh, Chavan said, they are in touch with the regional transport office to seek the waiver of road tax for interested buyers. “Since the vehicle does not require any fuel but sunlight, it is a good green option for alternate transportation in the city,” he said.
The solar-rickshaw, if successful, could be a step forward for Thane attaining the “smart city” status.
ABOUT SOLAR-RICKS
The Solar Autorickshaw requires eight hours under the sunlight to be fully charged. Once fully charged, it can run for upto 100 kms with a speed of about 30-40 km per hour
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