[sustran] FW: [NewMobilityCafe] Rickshaws in Calcutta

[Paul Barter]

>    Date: Mon, 22 Aug 2005 10:40:14 +0530
>    From: V Ramaswamy <hpp at vsnl.com>
> Subject: Rickshaws in Calcutta
> 
> Rickshaws in Calcutta
> 
>  
> 
> The Left Front Govt of West Bengal wants to get rid of the 
> Image - of man's inhumanity to man - rather than the reality 
> of an inhumane society with inhuman living conditions for the 
> labouring poor.
> 
>  
> 
> There is actually no humanity in the govt, for that would 
> have meant working out a proper rehabilitation programme for 
> the rickshaw pullers. Inhumanity, and vanity.
> 
>  
> 
> Creating an image, or dispelling an image versus actually 
> erasing inhumanity.
> 
>  
> 
> Banning rickshaws without successfully arranging alternatives 
> for the pullers means actually inflicting cruelty on the 
> pullers, in the name of creating an image of humanity.
> 
>  
> 
> Hand and cycle rickshaws are appearing in cities in Europe 
> today. One can visualise a regulated trade in Calcutta, where 
> the puller derives a fair and humane wage.
> 
>  
> 
> There are also other forms of inhumanity - domestic 
> servitude, working conditions in the unorganised sector, 
> living conditions of the urban poor in slums and shanties. On 
> none of these is the govt doing anything.
> 
>  
> 
> The govt is also displaying its parochialism - the pullers 
> are predominantly Bihari. They are insecure, unorganised. 
> Hence they are an easy target. Such biases can also be seen 
> in Howrah station, in the conflict between the red-shirt 
> (licensed, Bihari) porters and the (unlicensed, Bengali) 
> blue-shirt porters.
> 
>  
> 
> Rickshaw pulling does not really disrupt traffic. It is a 
> meaningful mode of transport in particular localities, for 
> particular functions, for both passengers and freight.
> 
>  
> 
> The ergonomics of the hand rickshaw are superior to that of 
> the cycle rickshaw (the model used in Calcutta).
> 
>  
> 
> Cycle rickshaws are more of a nuisance, their conditions are 
> pathetic, the plight of the cycle rickshaw puller is worse 
> than that of the hand-puller, they represent a greater 
> inhumanity, far greater numbers of cycle rickshaws exist. The 
> health profile of the typical cycle-puller is far worse than 
> that of the hand-puller. Though they are also periodically 
> harassed in various localities, yet they are more organised 
> than the hand-pullers.
> 
>  
> 
> Legality and illegality - what are all the illegal activities 
> flourishing in the city organised by political cadres? 
> Flagrant violation of law is found in every sphere of life. 
> Like the bus-owners now, threatening public disruption if 
> efforts are made to implement pollution control norms!
> 
>  
> 
> The auto-rickshaw is entirely unwholesome and undesirable. Is 
> a prime instrument of air and noise pollution. They are a 
> menace to traffic. Unsafe, severely harmful. Part of a 
> noxious lumpen under-life of the city. Most autos are 
> illegal. Permits are given to party cadres. Beneficiaries 
> have let out the vehicle to a driver, and often the actual 
> driver is twice-removed from the owner, for whom the auto has 
> become a means to derive an income from others' labour. No 
> civilised city should have auto-rickshaws.
> 
>  
> 
> The pretext of freeing roads for cars - raises the question 
> of how long the unchecked growth of private cars will 
> continue. There has to be a long-term plan, both of expanding 
> roads, but also limiting and controlling private cars - as 
> London has successfully demonstrated.
> 
>  
> 
> Traffic flow is severely impeded by hawking, markets and 
> shops on pavements and roadsides, which are organised and 
> profited from by political cadres.
> 
>  
> 
> Public transport is in a shambles.
> 
>                                                               
>                                            
> 
> When will the people of Calcutta rise up against their ugly rulers?
> 
> 
> 
> V Ramaswamy is a Calcutta-based business executive, social 
> planner, civic activist, grassroots organiser, teacher, 
> writer and singer.
> 
>