Soon, e-rickshaws to replace totos in Bengal

In a major unprecedented step in the country, the state government has chalked out a unique scheme to introduce e-rickshaws which will replace the totos.

This is the state government's major step towards introducing e-vehicles. It may be recalled that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, during her trip to Germany last year, had requested BMW's top bosses to open a factory for battery-operated vehicles in Bengal.

The uniqueness of the schemes lies in the fact that not a single toto driver will lose their jobs but will get their vehicles replaced by an authorised e-rickshaw with a registration number. It may be mentioned that it is Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's declared policy that no one should lose their jobs but they should be upgraded properly and legally. The scheme will help people as well because e-rickshaws are legal and they will get insurance in case they meet with road accidents.

The indigenously manufactured vans attached with motorcycle engines and popularly known as "vano" will be placed by e-carts. There are more than two lakh totos and vanos in the states.

Alapan Bandyopadhyay, principal secretary state Transport department said that a massive awareness drive would be held at Barasat in North 24 Parganas on March 10 where around 1,000 toto owners will surrender their vehicles to get new e-rickshaws.

State Transport minister Suvendu Adhikari and Food and Supplies minister Jyotipriyo Mullick, Trinamool Congress MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar and senior officials of the Transport department will be present at the mega mela.

The e-rickshaw manufacturers will give the toto owners a concession on the battery and other spare parts of the totos which will vary to anything between Rs 10,000 and Rs 15,000 depending on their condition and will help them get loan facilities from banks.

The totos are manufactured in China and assembled in India. The scheme will give impetus to the 10 e-rickshaw manufacturers in the state. The totos are not at all safe for the passengers. The body is so light that the vehicles can overturn anytime.

Also, of the two types of Totos that ply on the road, in the smaller one, the sitting space for the passengers is too small. But the e-rickshaws are designed properly with safety features. There is enough sitting space and leg room for the passengers. During monsoon, the passengers of e-rickshaws are well covered.

The state government will launch a massive campaign to create awareness among toto drivers all over the state. Though totos are unsafe, people still use them as the vehicles drop them at their doorsteps and can be easily manoeuvred in narrow lanes. The e-rickshaws will be comfortable, safe and cheaper means of transport and is likely to become popular shortly.