The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Students working on eco-friendly autorickshaws

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Sunday, Aug 10, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Students working on eco-friendly autorickshaws

Aletta André

“We are looking for a low-tech product that can be attached to every existing autorickshaw”.

— PHOTO: A.MURALITHARAN

(From left) Prof. Leenus J. Martin, Adithya Anand, Ankur Kumar, Amit, Abhay Bratap, Shahid Khan, Mritunjay Kumar of SRM University at the Vehicle Maintenance and Testing Lab in Chennai on Saturday.

CHENNAI: A team from Chennai is one of the three Indian university teams that signed up for the Hybrid Tuktuk Project, an Indian-Dutch student competition.

“Co2 emission of autorickshaws is a major problem. Everyone experiences it just by going on the street, where you have to cover your face when an autorickshaw drives by,” says Ankur Kumar (22), project leader of the team from SRM University that is developing a more clean and efficient engine for autorickshaws.

“We are very committed to this project,” he adds enthusiastically. “We can contribute to a reduction of the pollution level. But a more efficient engine will help the autorickshaw drivers as well.”

Amit (23) says, “Because fuel prices are so high, many autorickshaw drivers use the cheaper kerosene oil, which creates only more emission.”

His team mate Shahid Khan (22) adds, “We have to develop a cheap solution. Everyone can make a cleaner engine, but only a cheap one will be attractive for the drivers to use.”

Next week, the six students will present their initial plan to the initiators of the Hybrid Tuktuk Project - Enviu in Rotterdam, the Netherlands and Context India in Bangalore, two organisations that work for sustainable solutions to environmental and social problems. About the content of their plan the students remain silent. “This is a competition,” Ankur smiles, “and our competition level is very high. We don’t want to give the other teams our ideas.”

The project is as ambitious as the SRM students. The goal is to upgrade one million autorickshaws all over Asia within five years, which should improve the air quality in large cities and reduce Co2 emission by 40 to 60 per cent, while improving the economic situation and social position of drivers.

According to Elmar Stroomer, technical manager of the Hybrid Tuktuk project, costs are an important factor in the expected success of this project. “We are looking for a low-tech product that can be attached to every existing autorickshaw.”

Context India director Pradeep Esteves argues similarly. “Our project is not a mere business model. The social implications for the autorickshaw drivers and the environmental aspects form the major part.”

He is confident about the progress of the project. “We made initial contacts with possible sponsors and several NGOs. Also the autorickshaw union has responded positively to the project.”

The students are also confident. Shahid says, “This is such a good project, it will definitely find a market.”

(The progress of the team can be followed on their blog on www.hybridtuktuk.com.)

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