Buoyed by the success of the battery-operated CNG buses introduced last year in the heart of national capital's old walled city, Delhi Government has decided to ply solar-powered 'green' rickshaws in the area.
If everything goes as per plans, on October 2 on the occasion of birth anniversary of Mahatama Gandhi, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit will inaugurate the 'green' solar-battery operated rickshaws on the arterial roads of Chandini Chowk.
Weighing 210 kg and having capacity to run at a speed of 15/20 km per hour, the 'green' vehicles would suffice for a 70-km journey, a senior official said.
Such a plan was presented by the Ministry of Science and Technology before Dikshit at a meeting where area MP Kapil Sibal was also present.
Expressing confidence that new rickshaws would cater to the needs of local people as well as visitors, the Chief Minister said the vehicles would also go a long way in eliminating man-pulled rickshaws, according to the official.
Two years back the MCD had banned rickshaws in the area as its decongestion plan, but has been almost unsuccessful so far.
"To meet charging requirement of the battery in the rickshaw costing Rs 17,000, a solar penal will be set up above Delhi Metro station at Chandni Chowk. The battery would take five hours to be charged and the Delhi Metro is being approached in this regard," the official said.
These 'green' environment-friendly rickshaws are expected to ply within the three-kilometre radius from metro station.
The solar-powered rickshaws will be initially introduced as a pilot project in Chandni Chowk and later extended to other areas in the city, the official added.