Radio ricks off air
Pune Mirror: You can say goodbye to any dreams of travelling by the hi-tech auto rickshaw service that was to make Pune the first city in India to flaunt it. Well, at least for now.
The Delhi-based private firm, Indivelop, which was overseeing the scheme that promises a GPS navigation system and dial-a-rickshaw service for city auto rickshaws, seems to have disappeared after registering a few rickshaws.
Regional Transport Authority (RTA) members claim it has shown no inclination to implement the scheme. The RTA has been forced to scrap the project for now.
The scheme was the initiative of the union government’s Urban Mass Transport company, with the RTA’s help and had been inaugurated by union urban development ministry secretary, R Ramchandran in the city, last November. Pune had become the first city where the scheme was introduced.
Under the scheme, all rickshaw drivers were to be equipped with mobile phones, at least two sets of uniform, life insurance up to Rs 1 lakh and a fresh paint of their rickshaw, free of cost.
The contract for implementation of the scheme had been given to Indivelop which would bear the expense. The firm, in turn, would be allowed to advertise on the rickshaw hoods and collect the revenue generated through that.
According to rickshaw drivers and RTA members, this project is now scrapped because the firm did not show any interest in the project. They are convinced the firm is not in touch with RTA.
Pradeep Bhalerao, general secretary of Pune City Auto Rickshaw Federation, said, “We were very happy about the scheme. We had put in nearly 450 applications with the firm.
They had actually completed the registration for about 170 applications and even paid vehicle tax of nearly 30 rickshaws. However, now the company officials are not in touch with either the RTA members or the rickshaw drivers.”
Pune Regional Transport Officer Chandrakant Kharatmal said, “The whole scheme was supposed to be handled by the firm. We had provided them space in Sangam Bridge Regional Transport Office for their office.
We had planned to take all 43,000 rickshaws under this scheme. They had done only few registrations when the COO of Indivelop, A Anand cut off contact with RTA.
Initially, he gave the reason as a personal one and assured he would be back soon, but he soon stopped taking our calls. So the scheme is no longer functional.”
RTA member Baba Shinde said, “The scheme was good for the passengers too. We were planning to start a radio rickshaw service in the city.
After the elections, RTA will meet and we will discuss the scheme. We are planning to find a local firm to start the scheme again.” A Anand of Indivelop was not available for comments.
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