Rejuvenation of auto-rickshaws: Amritsar ranks 2nd in country

Tribune News Service

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Amritsar, September 4

The Rejuvenation of auto-rickshaws in Amritsar through Holistic Intervention (RAAHI) project has been ranked second (maturation phase) in the country. The administration aims to improve public transport and reduce pollution through this project.

Amritsar Municipal Corporation Commissioner-cum-CEO Smart City Malwinder Singh Jaggi was recently honoured by Kunal Kumar, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Development and Director of Smart City Mission, in New Delhi.

• The RAAHI project was selected from 67 projects in 37 cities across India in 2019. A total of 12 cities were selected under the CITIIS.
• Chennai stood first, Amritsar second and Surat third for successfully completing the maturation phase.

The RAAHI project is a part of City Investments to Innovate, Integrate and Sustain (CITIIS) programme run by the of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, French Development Agency (AFD), European Union and the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA).

The RAAHI project was selected from 67 projects in 37 cities across India in 2019. A total of 12 cities were selected under the CITIIS.

Chennai stood first, Amritsar second and Surat third for successfully completing the maturation phase.

It’s worth mentioning that under the RAAHI project, old diesel autos would be replaced with e-autos, for which financial subsidy and loans at minimal interest rates would be provided to auto-drivers. Along with this, charging stations would also be set up in the city to charge e-vehicles.

The Smart City CEO said, “Amritsar will be the first city in the country where e-autos will be made a part of public transport system at a large scale. Along with financial subsidy to drivers under the Smart City Mission, loans will also be provided to them at easy rates. Due to e-autos, air and noise pollution, will reduce. This will help in keeping the environment clean.”

He said, “Earnings of rickshaw drivers will increase as rising oil prices have raised the operational cost. Diesel autos cost more than Rs 4 per km while e-autos will cost only 0.68 paise per km. The project will be formally launched.”