Overweight solar-powered rickshaws pulled of roads in India

A disappointment to the green community in India, solar-powered rickshaws have been pulled off the road. These rickshaws were unveiled last year by the Municipal Corporation, to whom they have been dolefully returned. Besides the already overweight passengers, the solar panels act as an added weight to the rickshaw pullers, increasing their workload.

Ironically, this project, costing the authorities Rs. 1,500,000, was undertaken to reduce the labor involved. Rickshaw-pullers have complained that the batteries drained after 40 kilometers, after which man power was required. The pullers were also required to pay the Municipal Corporation Rs. 500 every month, an act that fell heavy on their pockets. Using lightweight solar modules available nowadays might help reduce the load and the backache of rickshaw-pullers in India.
[IndianExpress]