Thiruvananthapura

e-autorickshaws launched in Thiruvananthapuram city

Mayor K. Sreekumar on Tuesday launched the first batch of electric autorickshaws bought as part of the civic body’s Smart City project. The Corporation has bought 15 e-autorickshaws costing ₹2.30 lakh each.

Though the e-autorickshaws provide more mileage than normal autorickshaws, the fare will not be different. For autorickshaws running on petrol or diesel, the cost per kilometre is around ₹2 to ₹3, while for e-autorickshaws, it is 80 paise. The e-autorickshaw has an automatic transmission system, which makes it easier to handle the vehicle in the city rush.

The drivers can recharge the vehicle at their own homes. It will run 80 km on a single charge. Charging stations are also coming up in various parts of the city. The Corporation shortlisted the beneficiaries from a list of women applicants. The vehicle will be transferred to the beneficiary’s name after one to one-and-a-half years of operation.

Shared ride

Mr. Sreekumar said that the Corporation planned to have a shared ride system to reduce the cost for passengers and increase profits for the drivers. Two routes have been fixed for the e-rickshaws now. The first route will cover the Overbridge junction, Secretariat, Palayam Junction, Assembly, museum, and Manaveeyam Veedhi route. The second route will cover Central railway station, Padmanabhaswamy temple and Gandhi Park.

The vehicles are equipped with GPS to enable live tracking.

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