Rickshaws- the forgotten vehicles
Anybody and everybody who is living in Chennai, or even visited Chennai would have spotted a rickshaw. These three wheeled vehicles have been on the decline steadily. Once a common sight in Chennai, now it can be spotted in specific areas like Triplicane, Parry’s corner, Mint and Flower bazaar.
“Due to increase in autos, our business is affected” says Munuswamy, a 41 year old rickshaw peddler. He has been pedaling rickshaws for the past 30 years. Like his father he also decided to pedal rickshaws at a very young age. Sadly, he has been living on roads from the beginning. Despite having a union the plight of these people is pitiable.
Anybody and everybody who is living in Chennai, or even visited Chennai would have spotted a rickshaw. These three wheeled vehicles have been on the decline steadily. Once a common sight in Chennai, now it can be spotted in specific areas like Triplicane, Parry’s corner, Mint and Flower bazaar.
“Due to increase in autos, our business is affected” says Munuswamy, a 41 year old rickshaw peddler. He has been pedaling rickshaws for the past 30 years. Like his father he also decided to pedal rickshaws at a very young age. Sadly, he has been living on roads from the beginning. Despite having a union the plight of these people is pitiable.
“I earn anywhere between 80 to 100 rupees a day. This is not sufficient to run my family, so in the evenings I work as a security guard at a bank where I earn 3500 rupees”. On asking if there are any specific types of customers , Munuswamy asserts “We see all kinds of people in our rickshaw; old people, children, Hindu, Muslims and Christians”. Charging a meager 25 rupees from Triplicane High road to the University, many people don’t bargain and just pay whatever we ask, he says. It costs 8000 rupees for a new rickshaw and a license is also required. To repair the whole rickshaw, it costs 1500 rupees. Before, tourists used to sit in rickshaws as the slow moving vehicles would provide them plenty of time to click photographs. Chinese and American tourists used to hire for traveling short distances, he adds.
Karthik, a 17 year old, who has been pedaling rickshaws for the past three years, says “I don’t go to school and instead I drive rickshaw to earn money”. On asking if the government could do something a frustrated Karthik says “There is no monetary help from the government, we have to take care of ourselves”.
Moving a few steps further, Kannama a maid servant, on asking why she uses rickshaw says, “Am old and I get tired after working, I cant afford autos as they are expensive, rickshaw is the best mode of transportation for me”. Once in a while I sit in a rickshaw, she adds.
Ravikumar, who used to pedal a rickshaw till 1997 switched over to driving an auto due to traffic congestion and bad roads. Moreover, the earnings are less, he adds. A separate lane is required to accommodate these vehicles due to their slow pace.
Gone are those days, when children used to wait patiently for their ‘rickshaw uncle’ to pick them up and drop them at school. A favourite form of transportation a few decades ago, it would not be surprising if these vehicles cease to exist in the future.
Karthik, a 17 year old, who has been pedaling rickshaws for the past three years, says “I don’t go to school and instead I drive rickshaw to earn money”. On asking if the government could do something a frustrated Karthik says “There is no monetary help from the government, we have to take care of ourselves”.
Moving a few steps further, Kannama a maid servant, on asking why she uses rickshaw says, “Am old and I get tired after working, I cant afford autos as they are expensive, rickshaw is the best mode of transportation for me”. Once in a while I sit in a rickshaw, she adds.
Ravikumar, who used to pedal a rickshaw till 1997 switched over to driving an auto due to traffic congestion and bad roads. Moreover, the earnings are less, he adds. A separate lane is required to accommodate these vehicles due to their slow pace.
Gone are those days, when children used to wait patiently for their ‘rickshaw uncle’ to pick them up and drop them at school. A favourite form of transportation a few decades ago, it would not be surprising if these vehicles cease to exist in the future.
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