In the coming months, the civic body will hand over e-auto rickshaws to poor unemployed youth as part of pollution control measures.
JNAC Special Officer Sanjay Kumar on Sunday said those applying for green three-wheelers will have to fill a form available at the civic body’s office and after scrutiny, if selected, applicants will be given Rs 25,000 as caution deposit. Have to deposit Rs. Vehicle.
He further said that the beneficiaries would have to pay Rs 100 per day to JNAC when the vehicles would be handed over to them.
Kumar said that in the first phase JNAC will hand over 31 battery operated auto rickshaws. He said that this would not only provide employment to the unemployed youth but in the long run can replace diesel auto rickshaws and mini buses in Steel City, which are the major source of pollution here.
As per the data available from the District Transport Office, there are over 30,000 registered fleet of auto rickshaws which act as the major public transport system in the city. 50 minibuses plying on different routes also run on diesel.
In a study conducted by the administration during the pandemic period when there were curbs on vehicular movement including public transport due to the nationwide lockdown, pollution levels in the steel city were much lower than when the restrictions were lifted.
Though for the past one year the transport office registers only new CNG-run auto rickshaws in the city, the older auto rickshaws running on diesel are much more than those running on the green fuel.
In its mission to reduce vehicular pollution here, the district administration is also planning to introduce battery operated low floor town buses which will cover various routes of the city.
A survey is underway for the project, as revealed by DC Vijaya Jadhav in the recent past.
Kumar expressed confidence that the project of running battery operated autos in Jamshedpur would be successful. He said that those applying for the purchase of the vehicle would have to submit aadhaar card Character certificate along with details from the local police station where he/she resides, Pan Card details, bank account details are given along with the form which costs Rs 250.
He said that only one auto will be given to a person and it cannot be transferred to any other person.
He further said that the vehicles can be driven on any route within the city limits. He said that interested people can contact Abhishek Kumar (9135437597) Vikash Kumar (7004649080) for any other query. The last date for receipt of filled application forms is May 11.
Kumar said that according to studies conducted by experts, the operating cost of battery-powered three-wheelers is much lower than diesel-powered ones, so the profit margin of the owners would be higher.
Kumar said that in the long run, more fossil fuel-powered auto rickshaw owners would be expected to shift to e-vehicles to make more profit.