The Rickshaw - A Three Wheeled Form Of Public Transport
3 wheelers in India mean two things - an auto (tuktuk) or its predecesor, the rickshaw. The word Rickshaw originates from the Japanese word jinrikisha (人力車, 人 jin = human, 力 riki = power or force, 車 sha = vehicle). The 'human powered vehicle' was invented n Japan in the 1860s and made it's first appearance in India in 1880, in Simla.
Cycle rickshaws became popular in the 1930s and their use slowly declined with access to motorised transport. In Chennai, you still see many peddling through the roads of Sowcarpet, especially Mint street. I'd never noticed how geometric they are, with the circles and triangles.
Do they classify as 'public transport'? You tell me.
Not all rickshaw riders are peddlers, some just pedal even ;)
Of course if you look like the right sort of buyer they might peddle some nice stuff!
In Delhi, many of these rickshaws are fitting big truck batteries to enjoy the twin power. It is very much a part of public transport in most indian cities
Haha, totally missed how I interchanged pedal with peddle.
In Delhi, I know that rickshaws are incredibly popular. In Pune, Bombay, Chennai, Bangalore - not so much. They used to be around a lot more when I was younger but now I see them in small numbers in parts of the old city.
Even in Delhi, it is only the old part of the city where cycle rickshaws are allowed to ply.
But I am talking about the smaller cities.
One interesting titbit from the city where I belong. There rickshaws were the lifeline of transport, both for people and goods. Even though there was sufficient motorised transport and even horse carts, these continued. Until MNREGA was introduced. Suddenly a lot of these rickshaw pullers left the city and went back to their villages. And because of the sudden decrease in the number of rickshaws, their fares went up. Finally they were earning a little more than mere exploitation.
Definitely