Traffic and pollution are two big problems of urban India. Apart from local trains and buses, car taxis and auto rickshaws are big modes of public transport, but it increases traffic congestion and air pollution. Often a single person hires a car taxi or auto. Hence it is wastage of fuel, time, money and increase of pollution. Four and three wheelers often cannot enter narrow bye-lanes and drop passengers at main roads. Often car taxis and autos refused passengers for smaller distances. A bike taxi is a licensed form of transport in some advance countries like Iran, Thailand, and Cambodia and recently in USA. If central and state governments make rules and permit bike taxis for all big cities including Mumbai it will be of great help for single passengers and to ease the traffic congestion.
Advantages of Bike Taxis: (1) Save fuel-Save time-Save money (2) Cheaper than car taxi, auto and buses. (3) Faster than other road transports. It can move ahead easily through traffic jam and even by-pass heavy traffic by using small bye-lanes and short cuts. (4) It will provide jobs for many jobless youngsters or even car taxi and auto drivers can shift to this charming business. (5) No space problem of halting and parking. (6) Back packs and small luggage is not a problem.
(7) It will minimize air pollution and global warming. (8) Easy and cheap maintenance of vehicle and even driver can do it.
Requirements and conditions: (1) The drivers must be fully trained with driving license and batch to run public transport. (2) Drivers should wear uniform, helmet and provide helmet for passenger also. (3) Bike taxis must be equipped with meter and tariff card. (4) Tariff should be approved by govt. and it should be common for entire country or state (5) Rs.4 may be the fare for first kilometer and Rs.3 for every extra kilometer. (6) Speed limit and maximum distance must be restricted (7) Colour of bike taxi should be yellow. (8) Bike taxi must be run on CNG only and accordingly designed.
Naeem Mehmood Shaikh
naeemmumbai@gmail.com
