Two-wheeler taxis will soon ferry passengers in the city. The civic authorities are planning to try the project with motorcycles in the tourist zone of Fort Kochi in the first phase.
The project is being introduced by the Kerala Sustainable Urban Development Project (KSUDP) authorities under the Poverty Social Fund.
According to the authorities, a five-member group will be given support for operating motor bike taxis in select areas of the city in the initial stage. The beneficiaries will have to be suggested by the corporation councilors and approved by the welfare committee constituted by the civic body.
The motorcycle taxi scheme was being planned under the livelihood improvement scheme of KSUDP, said City Mayor Tony Chammany.
Two banks have come forward to supporting the project and 35 per cent of the project cost will be shouldered by the KSUDP as subsidy. While the contribution of the beneficiaries will be 5 per cent of the total cost, the banks will finance around 60 per cent of the funds required.
According to primary estimates, each beneficiary would require around Rs.75,000 for the project, an official of the KSUDP said.
The scheme would be launched anytime and the civic authorities were waiting for the beneficiaries to come forward. The fare and routes would be finalised in consultation with the beneficiaries.There would not be any gender discrimination while considering the beneficiaries, said an official.
Incidentally, though there were earlier attempts to introduce bike taxies in the city, the scheme had to be wound up following law-and-order issues.
Source : ‘The Hindu’ dated June 13.
Regards,
M.Naren.
Author – BikeAdvice.in
