Matheran’s cart pullers denied opportunity to drive electric rickshaws
Following an order by the Supreme Court to allow non-polluting electric vehicles, a pilot project for e-rickshaws was launched for three months in December 2022
MUMBAI: A pilot project to allow electric rickshaws or e-rickshaws in Matheran began on Tuesday, with seven such vehicles plying on the roads of the popular hill station. However, rickshaw-pullers, who had been asking for an opportunity to replace their hand-pulled carts with e-rickshaw licences, have remained bereft.
Matheran has long been an eco-sensitive zone on account of its fragile ecology. Motorised transport is banned in the hill station, and only horses and carts pulled by humans are permitted here. Following an order by the Supreme Court to allow non-polluting electric vehicles, a pilot project for e-rickshaws was launched for three months in December 2022.
In November 2023, the apex court gave permission to continue the pilot project in order to check the feasibility of e-rickshaws, mainly during the monsoon. As per the order, the pilot project resumed on Tuesday on a three-km stretch between Dasturi taxi stand and Matheran railway station in the presence of Rahul Ingle, chief officer of the Matheran municipal council. The project will continue till further orders, as the Supreme Court has not fixed any time frame for it.
Since environmental rules forbid private vehicles in Matheran, tourists park their vehicles at Dasturi Naka and use transport such as the mini train shuttle service, horses or human rickshaws. The human rickshaws are pulled by two people each, and tourists are charged anywhere between ₹500 and ₹700, depending on the season. The e-rickshaw fare for the same distance has been fixed at ₹35, a fact that will affect the employment and earnings of cart pullers.
{{/usCountry}}Since environmental rules forbid private vehicles in Matheran, tourists park their vehicles at Dasturi Naka and use transport such as the mini train shuttle service, horses or human rickshaws. The human rickshaws are pulled by two people each, and tourists are charged anywhere between ₹500 and ₹700, depending on the season. The e-rickshaw fare for the same distance has been fixed at ₹35, a fact that will affect the employment and earnings of cart pullers.
{{/usCountry}}Sunil Shinde, secretary of the Shramik Rickshaw Union, said that the cart pullers had been waiting for e-rickshaws, as they looked upon them as a rehabilitation opportunity. “Out of 94 licensed cart pullers, 48 were even trained to drive the e-rickshaws, but have not been given licences,” he said. “The administration has appointed a contractor, who has brought in people from other places to drive the vehicles. We want the administration to give the e-rickshaws to the cart pullers, who live a hard life.”
{{/usCountry}}Sunil Shinde, secretary of the Shramik Rickshaw Union, said that the cart pullers had been waiting for e-rickshaws, as they looked upon them as a rehabilitation opportunity. “Out of 94 licensed cart pullers, 48 were even trained to drive the e-rickshaws, but have not been given licences,” he said. “The administration has appointed a contractor, who has brought in people from other places to drive the vehicles. We want the administration to give the e-rickshaws to the cart pullers, who live a hard life.”
{{/usCountry}}Manoj Khedkar, former chairperson of the Matheran municipal council, echoed the sentiment. “We welcome the move to restart e-rickshaws as they are environmentally friendly and will help end the human rickshaw custom,” he said. “But the 94 human rickshaw pullers must be given licences as well.”
