Get smart, join a car pool

For the last two years, Sandeep Nagpal, 30, has been travelling from Kandivli to Lower Parel every day in his air-conditioned car, but he has hardly felt the pinch of the fuel price rise.

For the last two years, Sandeep Nagpal, 30, has been travelling from Kandivli to Lower Parel every day in his air-conditioned car, but he has hardly felt the pinch of the fuel price rise.

HT Image

The reason: Nagpal, a product manager with HDFC Bank, drives to his Lower Parel office in a car pool with three of his colleagues, spending only Rs 2,000 per month on petrol against the Rs 8,000 two years ago.

“This fuel-saving strategy helped us save energy, time and maintenance,” said Nagpal, who picks his colleagues Pravin Mundra, Diptendu Dey and R Natrajan en route to work.

In 2009, when Nagpal was transferred to the city from Delhi, little did he know that his idea of car-pooling, would become so popular in his office. “Today, more than eight groups of employees share a ride home,” he said.

The bankers also see car-pooling as more environment friendly and sustainable; it has helped reduce emissions and parking spaces at work.

The bankers have also come up with a financial plan for the system. “At the end of every month, we divide the fuel costs among the four of us,” elaborated Natrajan, 29, senior manager, adding that “the total expense has come down by more than 70%”.