E-rickshaws in the service of pilgrims

Vijayawada: Introduced on an experimental basis during the Krishna Pushkaralu, e-rickshaws are extending tremendous service to the senior citizens and physically challenged pilgrims coming for a holy dip.

The e-rickshaws were introduced by Krishna District Collector Babu Ahmad to facilitate the movement of the elderly and physically challenged pilgrims to the bathing ghats from Pushkarnagars and satellite bus stations.

The administration has introduced 10 e-rickshaws to serve the pilgrims from morning to night at the Punnami and Pavitra Sangamam ghats. With a seating capacity for four passengers they are being operated from the first day of the Pushkaralu.

The e-rickshaws are operated with four 12 volts batteries and they work for four hours covering 120 km, before they go for recharging. K P Rao, Sports activist from the city , found these vehicles in China and imported 10 e-rickshaws on an experimental basis.

Though he wanted to start a local manufacturing unit, the District Collector had asked him to place the vehicle on a trial basis during the Krishna Pushkaralu to help the elderly and physically challenged pilgrims.

Accordingly, these vehicles were placed at Sangamam and Punnami ghats on a trial basis and appointed drivers with the help of the AP Scheduled Castes Finance Corporation.

The district administration wanted to distribute e-rickshaws on loan for SC unemployed youth, said A Sankara Rao, senior assistant at the SC Corporation. He further stated that the vehicles were found very much useful for the senior citizens and differently-abled persons.

The passengers, too, are happy with the vehicles now helping them for a holy dip in the river.
I came from Adavi Nekkalam village. I can’t walk from road to the ghat, these e-rickshaws carried me to the ghat and back,” said senior citizen Venkateswara Rao.