Growing up in India, I’ve used about nine different modes of
transportation to get to school every day. My favorite was the Cycle Rickshaw
(or the pedicab), as the operator (the rickshaw cyclist?) would sometimes let
my friends and I take turns driving it back home. With the advent and
subsequent monopoly of motorized and faster modes of travel on Indian roads,
the Cycle Rickshaw population is dwindling. Increasingly, they are being banned
from cities due to their poor integration with motorized traffic and deteriorating
public image. In this post, I’ll talk about the problems faced by this mode, why
they are a critical component for the Indian city, and some innovative grassroots
initiatives focused on bringing back the Cycle Rickshaw.
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| Cycle Rickshaws on a busy road |
The Declining Public
Image
Cycle Rickshaws are quickly losing public and government
favor as they are often associated with backwardness and are deemed to
reinforce the growing rural-urban migration. They are often perceived as a
deterrent to the modern image every Indian city wants to present on a global
stage. Despite investments made to make major
improvements to the traditional design, the Cycle Rickshaws continue to
have a poor public image. The traditional vehicle can have uncomfortable
seating and may offer no protection against the harsh tropical sun. Moreover,
with traffic getting faster and more aggressive, they can be very unsafe and
their growing accident
rate, due to their slow pace, has caused
the traffic police to be very hostile towards them. Lastly, many customers feel
guilty hiring rickshaws due to the manual labor involved in pulling their weight,
especially as these rickshaw-pullers are very poor, often starving and unable
to make ends meet.
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| Battery Powered Cycle Rickshaw in Agra |
Benefits of Cycle
Rickshaws
However, rather than banning them, there is much to be
gained in continuing to invest in Cycle Rickshaws as a mode of transportation.
They are a cleaner, pollution-free mode of travel, especially in tourist areas.
In fact, according to Whitelegg and Williams in their paper on Cycle Rickshaws
in Calcutta, there are severe environmental consequences of banning them. Their
model suggested an astounding increase in Carbon Monoxide levels by about
75,000 metric tons per annum.
Additionally, Cycle Rickshaws are an important component of
the informal economies of developing countries, providing an informal
transport system for both people and goods. They provide basic mobility
options for short distances and provide income opportunities for low-income
households. They are a major source of employment for very low-income
households, especially those who have recently migrated from rural areas.
Moreover, they are shown to improve the health of the cycle rickshaw operators
and promote the shift back to active transportation in Indian cities.
Banning Cycle Rickshaws from Indian roads could increase
poverty and deepen the income gaps existing in Indian cities. Yet, continuing
with the current system is hardly a step in the right direction. Without proper
regulations in place and better integration with changing traffic patterns, it
would be difficult to ensure a better outcome for Cycle Rickshaw operators. In
describing policies associated with such informal transport in developing
countries, Dr.
Cervero very poignantly points out, “within
policy−making circles, the sector is often ignored, and when recognized, it is
often maligned.”
Innovations
To promote their usage and to better integrate the Cycle
Rickshaw into India’s complicated transport system, several non-profit
organizations are coming up with innovative solutions. The GreenCAB or
Dial-a-cycle rickshaw service is a concept that looks like New Delhi’s answer
to the last mile
question.
The dedicated cycle rickshaw lanes, now
implemented on certain roads in Delhi, were pioneered by the Initiative for Transportation and Development
Policy (ITDP, India). The Cycle Rickshaw ban in New Delhi was followed by
protests and rallies against the move. After much awareness was raised on the
benefits of continuing Cycle Rickshaws on roads, they were included
in the 2021 New Delhi Master Plan.
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| Cycle Rickshaw lanes are now a common sight in New Delhi |
The Aap Ki
Sadak (literally, your road) project, on urban design and transportation
interventions in Delhi, was launched earlier this month, which integrates both
these concepts and several others to pedestrianize Delhi’s roads. This design
concept comprises the dial-a-cycle rickshaw cabs plying on segregated Cycle
Rickshaw lanes from the Metro Station to surrounding neighborhoods. These
segregated lanes are often carved out of exiting roads or shared with existing
cycle tracks or out of neighborhood collectors running alongside major
arterials.
I think, if implemented properly, these ideas can really
solve a lot of traffic problems in India. The Cycle Rickshaw provides a cheaper
and cleaner alternative to get to one’s home or office from the BRT Station or
the Metro Station. The Dial-a-Cycle rickshaw idea also saves the passenger from
being heckled to choose one among the long queues of auto-rickshaw drivers
outside the stations. Cycle Rickshaw lanes provide a safer and probably faster
environment for the rickshaws to operate. However, such a service would need to
be supported by strong implementation policies targeted at safety and
reliability, along with an aggressive marketing strategy.
Special thanks to Arlie, Arthur, and Brenda for their insights!
Sources:
- John Pucher , Zhong‐ ren Peng , Neha Mittal , Yi Zhu & Nisha Korattyswaroopam (2007): Urban Transport Trends and Policies in China and India: Impacts of Rapid Economic Growth, Transport Reviews: A Transnational Transdisciplinary Journal, 27:4, 379-410
- John Whitelegg & Nick Williams (2000): Non-motorised Transport and Sustainable Development: Evidence from Calcutta, Local Environment: The International Journal of Justice and Sustainability, 5:1, 7-18
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