A trademark of old Delhi roads disappears into the realms of time with the ban of cycle rickshaws from the main roads. The old roads of Delhi as well as the new ones have the latest and the antique competing, in its metro rail and the cycle rickshaws, especially the Chandni Chowk area and the road to Sadar Bazar.  Can you imagine a visit to either of these places by any other vehicle?

The common man laments the loss of a cheap way of transport and often the cycle rickshaw is the only way one can crawl into the narrow galis that abound in the capital region’s not-so-posh interiors. A visitor on his/her first visit to the city often gets the first glimpses by travelling in the rickshaw. I have the best photographs of Delhi taken from the cycle rickshaw. Have you watched tourists and their approach to rickshaws? They are often fascinated by this odd mode of transport, the Chandni Chowk area to be mentioned especially here.

The reason cited for the ban, as per newspaper reports is the traffic jams they are bound to cause in the peak hours…but is this correct? How many traffic jams or accidents are caused by the erratic rickshaws by daily statistics? The culprits like the blue line buses who speed away is conveniently ignored…powerful lobby? Maybe! And what about those latest cars which actually need longer and broader and better roads than ours but we insist on buying the vehicles just as prestige? In the posh Rajinder Nagar area, just off the Parliament Street, the lack of parking facility in the apartments necessitates parking whatever vehicle you own on the street…The streets are sometimes blocked of even walking space when the whole family is home!!!
And finally, what of the men who ply the rickshaws? After all the crocodile tears that flow and dry up, what stand by plan have been envisaged for their re-employment? What about the supporting industries that depend on the cycle rickshaws for employment?

Isn’t it time we Indians made policy decisions too in a wholesome package, rather than each department and ministry solving their problems in a piecemeal attempt?


Source:
http://sify.com/news/fullstory.php?id=14489167
http://www.hindu.com/2007/07/12/stories/2007071260641200.htm