Commuters have been facing difficulties due to the lack of effective transportation services near metro stations in Pune. Many commuters have complained about this travel discomfort for a very long time. However, a solution is on the horizon. The authorities plan to introduce women-driven E-Pink Rickshaws that will solve the transportation issue being faced by people. Around 2,800 such rickshaws, allotted to women in Pune under a government scheme, will now be deployed for metro connectivity. The Regional Transport Office (RTO) has initiated work on determining routes from metro stations for these vehicles.
To empower underprivileged women in the state, the Women and Child Development Department launched a financial assistance scheme for the purchase of e-rickshaws. Of the total 3,400 E-Pink Rickshaws sanctioned for the Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad areas, 2,800 will be distributed under Pune RTO’s jurisdiction. Women beneficiaries will receive 90% of the vehicle cost through loans and a 10% subsidy. The state government will provide 20% of the subsidy, and nationalized banks will offer 70% of the loans. A committee, chaired by the District Collector, has been set up to select the beneficiaries. Registration for these rickshaws in Pune has already begun. Fares for E-Pink Rickshaws will be lower than regular auto-rickshaws, and ticket rates for commuters will be finalized once routes are fixed, officials said.
The E-Pink Rickshaws will be used as a mode of transportation for short distances in the first phase from five metro stations. If successful, the project will be expanded to include more stations, said Hemant Sonawane, Executive Director (Public Relations), MahaMetro.
Meanwhile, the process of finalizing routes from metro stations for these e-rickshaws has already started. Ticket prices for shared rickshaw rides will be determined as per RTA regulations, confirmed Swapnil Bhosale, Deputy Regional Transport Officer.