Cycle rickshaws to get face-lift in Chandigarh

It has asked a university here to modernise the good old pollution-free vehicle and present it as an attractive option for tourists in the coming months.

"Chandigarh administration has assigned a small-scale project to the Punjab Engineering College (PEC), a deemed university here, for modernising cycle-rickshaws with a structural design that will meet present requirements of commuters," said a spokesperson of the administration here Sunday.

"The proposed design of cycle-rickshaws will also reduce the human toil of rickshaw pullers. They will be made more comfortable and provide quality service to the city residents and to tourists coming here," he added.

Union territory administrator S.F. Rodrigues held a meeting with the senior officials of PEC to decide the modalities of this project.

During the meeting, Rodrigues pointed out that the administration is also planning to introduce solar-powered rickshaws in the city in the coming days.

"We will use an assortment of innovative technologies in improving the design of present cycle-rickshaws. We will conduct a proper survey and take tips after talking to rickshaw pullers and city residents," said a senior faculty member of PEC.

"We would also involve our students in this project of improving this environment-friendly transport option. It would be developed in such a way that very less force will be required to pull it," he said.

Around two-weeks back, administration had launched distinctive LPG-run three-wheeler auto rickshaws, enabled with Global Positioning System (GPS). These pink-coloured auto rickshaws were christened 'Tuk-Tuk'.