The Hindu : New Delhi News : Now solar rickshaws on Delhi roads

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Now solar rickshaws on Delhi roads

Staff Reporter

Pilot project launched in Chandni Chowk; each rickshaw costs about Rs.17, 000

Photo: V V Krishnan.

Solar power: Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and Union Minister for Science and Technology Kapil Sibal riding a solar-electric rickshaw after launching it in Delhi on Thursday.

NEW DELHI: Solar-powered rickshaws called green rickshaws were introduced in Chandni Chowk here on Thursday as part of a pilot project. Each of these rickshaws costs about Rs.17, 000 and the idea is to have them in place of the man-pulled rickshaws.

The inaugural ceremony was attended by Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and Union Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal, who is the Member of Parliament from Chandni Chowk.

The green rickshaws weigh about 210 kg each and are able to run at a speed of 15 to 20 km per hour.

They operate on solar battery that is expected to last 70 km on a single charge. These batteries take about five hours to be charged with the help of solar panels that are to be connected to the charging unit. Most of these charging units are being set up above Delhi Metro stations.

As these rickshaws would have to go to the charging station for replacement of existing battery, they would ply within a radius of 3 km from the metro stations.

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