Improvements in Cycle Rickshaws of Chandigarh (Jan 2010)

A project, “Improvements in Cycle Rickshaws of Chandigarh” was awarded by the Chandigarh administration to PEC, in Aug 2009. The team working on the project comprises of Chandra Mohan Jakhar, Sahib Singh, Ankit Rampuria, Jaspreet Singh, Abhishek Kaushal, Sahil Bansal, Bhisham Mittal, Ankit Munjal and Ishank Sharma. The faculty coordinators for the project are Prof Praveen Kalra, Prof R.S.Walia and Prof Sarabjit Singh. Students designed and manufactured 2 prototypes for the modified rickshaw. Significant improvements were made keeping in mind the feedback received from the passengers and the pullers. The various improvements made in the design are: light weight, low footboard, ample luggage space, improved seating capacity, no use of wood, increased life cycle. After fabricating both prototypes, these were presented to His Excellency (Retd.) General SF Rodrigues, Administrator UT at Raj Bhawan  in presence of the Home Secretary. The second prototype was selected for mass implementation in the city. PEC has been granted a sum of Rs1.25 lakh to get 10 cycle rickshaws manufactured which will be field-tested. The vendor involved during the prototype development, Kamal Industries, will manufacture the rickshaws. The rickshaws will be on trial run for 3 months in the city. Feedback will be taken from passengers and pullers about the same, and subsequently minor changes will be made to the design before it comes in mass production. The Chandigarh Administration complimented the students for their efforts.