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E-rickshaw drivers-cum-‘swachhata doots’ to pitch for cleaner Prayagraj
Jute bags will be tied to e-rickshaws, both registered and unregistered, and the drivers will ask their passengers to empty waste into them
E-rickshaw drivers in Sangam city will be roped in for a cleanliness drive. To be given the title ‘swachhata doots’ (cleanliness ambassadors), their job will be to spread the message of keeping the city clean and plastic bag-free.
As per a proposal being worked out by the Prayagraj Smart City authorities, jute bags will be tied to e-rickshaws, both registered and unregistered, and the drivers will ask their passengers to empty waste into them, and not litter them around.
“We will motivate e-rickshaw drivers to become active members not only to keep the city clean but also request their passengers to support the initiative,” said mission manager (technical) of the Prayagraj Smart City Project SK Sinha.
The implementation will be phase wise, starting from Civil Lines. The drivers will also be incentivised. “The incentives, include insurance cover, the premium of which will be paid through the carbon credit earned by them,” Sinha explained.
“Since we have recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Indian Institute of Information Technology-Allahabad (IIIT-A), their students will be making an app through which we will get the exact number of e-rickshaws plying in the city. Thus, we will be able to calculate the exact quantity of carbon credit that we have earned and the incentives,” Sinha added.
E-rickshaws are gradually replacing diesel-run autorickshaws in the city. According to Raghunath Dwivedi, president of the Prayagraj e-Rickshaw Union, there are currently 11,342 e-rickshaws plying in the city. “Till now there is no scheme to motivate the e-rickshaw drivers. But with the Prayagraj Smart City Mission giving them the status of ‘cleanliness ambassadors’, they’ll feel more included and do their bit to make the city better,” he added
