Dear All,It gives me immense pleasure to announce that, we have successfully launched the “Dial-a-Rickshaw” facility in Fazilka. We have named it as “ECOCABS”. At present cycle rickshaws are fulfilling the demand of public transport system of our small city Fazilka.
In the last couple of years, we observed the change of modal share in the total trip distribution by personalized motorized mode of transportation instead of our conventional rickshaw. Primarily because of two reasons; inaccessibility of cycle rickshaws and quality of rickshaws. Fazilka, where average trip length is shorter than 3km, it is very easy to promote cycle based public transport system. Narrow street design of Fazilka city encourages the use of cycle based public transport system. As a part of value addition to existing cycle rickshaw project; serving city’s transportation need from last 60 years, we decided to launch “ECOCABS”. Now cycle rickshaws in Fazilka are available on phone call away. It’s our own metro, but on rubber tyres. We have divided the city into five zones, mainly North, South, East, West and Central and started Rickshaw Call centre in each Zone. This zoning was based upon the number of household served. All these locations are near to residential areas of Fazilka city. Now with a phone call, rickshaw is available at your doorstep within five minutes. You all are cordially invited to experience our Rapid Rickshaw Transit system. Residents of Fazilka are very excited about this service. Our Ecocab project is just not only supporting the livelihood of 500 families who are depended on cycle rickshaw but with this pedal power we are saving an estimated 900 liter of fuel and 14000kg fresh air on daily basis. It’s first of its kind citizen effort to control the oil consumption and minimize the effect of global warming on this planet.
World carefree network is associated with for this noble cause. Thanks to Media without them it was not possible to make this project as big success. I am sending you the URL of all leading Print and Electronic Media channels, who covered our ECOCAB launch. Come and enjoy the difference.
Asian Age
http://www.asianage.com/presentation/leftnavigation/news/india/radio-rickshaws-launched.aspx
Video of Ecocab on CNN
http://www.ibnlive.com/videos/67507/now-dialarickshaw-for-a-greener-environment.html
The Statesman
http://209.85.175.104/search?q=cache:_GLz-FHAkHkJ:www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php%3Fclid%3D2%26theme%3D%26usrsess%3D1%26id%3D209173+Fazilka+Rickshaw&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=5&gl=in
CNN IBN
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/now-dialarickshaw-for-a-greener-environment/67507-3.html?xml
Times of India
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Chandigarh/Radio-ricks_to_ecosystem_rescue/articleshow/3139367.cms
The Tribune
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2008/20080619/punjab1.htm#10
All India Radio and Doordarshan
Newstin
http://www.newstin.com/tag/us/63922620
The India Post
http://www.theindiapost.com/?p=2742
Our Fazilka Website
http://lovefazilka.esmartweb.com/ecocab.htm
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http://www.newstrackindia.com/newsdetails/7141
Fazilka (Punjab), July 17 (ANI): A group of engineering graduates here has set up a concept called "Ecocab call centre" to overcome the routine transportation problem. It has made the popular mode of local transportation-cycle rickshaw-just a phone call away.nitiated by the Graduates Welfare Association of former IITians, Ecocab Call Centres have been set up all over the town to help residents of Fazilka to enable accessing cycle rickshaws without difficulty. Fazilka is the first town in the country where rickshaws can be summoned by a phone call. According to Navdeep Asija, Secretary of the Graduates Welfare Association, the lack of proper public conveyance in the town prompted him and his team to launch this eco-cab call centre.He points out that while big cities have buses, smaller towns like Fazilka had nothing available as public transport. So we tried to make the existing system better accessible. Every 1,500 houses in the town have a call center. As soon as the Rickshaw call center at the nearest zone gets a call, the rickshaw-puller reaches the desired point within two to three minutes. Residents of Fazilka are happy over the innovation.
"Dial-a-rickshaw is very helpful. You just need to make a phone call and we get a rickshaw at our doorsteps. The service is very convenient for women, who earlier used to wait for long and walk long distances to take a rickshaw. Many households have privately owned cars, but only 10 per cent of women know driving. Hence, I like this service," said Renu Madan, a resident of Fazilka.
A tea stall vender, now runs a call centre to manage over 50 rickshaws. He also earns additional income. The rickshaw pullers have been given digital identity cards. The rickshaws also display commercial advertisements that help them to earn more. Some of them have used the additional income to subscribe for health insurance. There are about 500 rickshaw-pullers in Fazilka. Harbans Lal of the Fazilka rickshaw pullers union claims that people in the town can get a rickshaw in two to five minutes by making a phone call Cycle-rickshaws are a popular mode of transportation across the country for covering short distances. By Avtar Singh Gill (ANI)
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