[sustran] JNNURM :---- Horse Carts Lose Race

[Vinay Baindur]

Horse Carts Lose Race
[image: Horse Carts <br />Lose Race]

Ajeet Bahadur on Jul 5th, 2010 in Blog, Development, Featured, North, Uttar
Pradesh | 0 comments
http://indiaunheard.videovolunteers.org/ajeet/horse-carts-lose-race/#respond
<http://indiaunheard.videovolunteers.org/ajeet/horse-carts-lose-race/#respond>
Recent efforts to modernize bus services throughout Allalahabad might force
out the city’s traditional horse rickshaws.These actions fall under the
central government’s scheme to update public transportation on a national
scale. The scheme, known as the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal
Mission, incentivizes cities, such as Allalahabad, to invest in new modern
transportation. While this development is positive for many of Allalahabad’s
citizens, it will create fierce competition for horse rickshaws. Cheap,
accessible, and reliable bus transport might be enough to drive the horse
rickshaws to extinction.

Horse rickshaws are known as ekka or tanga in Allahabad. They have been a
feature of the region’s roadways and motorways since well-before
independence and supported much of public transportation before
auto-rickshaws and buses came into use.

Today, over 600 Allalahabad families depend on horse rickshaws for their
livelihoods. Taken together, these drivers comprise one of the largest
unorganized labor sectors in the city. The drivers are predominantly from
Muslim and Dalit communities. Most are undereducated and are from
marginalized backgrounds. In many cases, horse rickshaw driving it the only
trade they know.

If the government takes steps to wipe out horse rickshaws than these
families will suffer what could be an irreplaceable source of livelihood. As
we see in Ajeet’s video, Allalahbad families are calling on the government
to stop actions being taken to eradicate horse rickshaws. Further, these
families are asking their government to support them in their continued
service to the city.

More reports from Ajeet Bahadur can be viewed
here<http://indiaunheard.videovolunteers.org/author/ajeet/>
.