Awaiting distribution date, 92 e-rickshaws ‘rust’ in the open
In what could be a befitting example of administrative apathy, as many as 92 brand new e-rickshaws, worth `1 crore, are rusting in an open waterlogged ground for over a month here.
Purchased for distribution among beneficiaries of 'e-motor battery rickshaw scheme' of UP’s urban development and minority welfare ministry, the e-rickshaws were to be given away by cabinet minister Azam Khan during a programme scheduled on July 17 at KP College ground.
“Since the minister's visit was cancelled due to some reasons, the distribution of the same was postponed,” admitted municipal commissioner Shesh Mani Pandey. Since then, the vehicles are lying idle in the open at the KP College ground, which is also waterlogged for last as many days.
“The district administration could have easily got the vehicles shifted to a safer location in view of heavy rainfall witnessed for over a month," said former corporator and RTI activist Anand Agarwal.
"Each e-rickshaw costs over
`1 lakh and comprises of a battery besides sensitive electronic circuit plates. For over a month, these e-rickshaws have been parked in an open field amid heavy rainfall. It might definitely have caused immense damage to the electronic portion of the rickshaws,” claimed Agarwal.
Project director of District Urban Development Authority (DUDA) Pratibha Srivastava, who is also nodal officer for the distribution, said the next date for visit of the minister was awaited after which the same would be handed over to the beneficiaries.
The beneficiaries — belonging to Below Power Line (BPL) category as well as minority community — were selected by the officials of the licence department of Nagar Nigam as the same could be made available to only those cycle rickshaw pullers who were registered with the department.