JAMSHEDPUR: In an attempt to reduce pollution levels in Steel City, the Jamshedpur Notified Area Committee (JNAC) has decided to promote e-vehicles by helping the jobless youth buy them.
In the coming months, the civic body will be handing over e-auto rickshaws to the poor unemployed youth as part of pollution control measures.
JNAC special officer Sanjay Kumar on Sunday said those applying for the green three-wheelers will have to fill up a form available at the office of the civic body and after scrutiny, if selected, the applicants have to deposit Rs 25,000 as caution deposit for the vehicle.
He further added that along the beneficiaries will have to pay Rs 100 per day to the JNAC when the vehicles are handed over to them.
Kumar said in the first phase, JNAC will be handing over 31 auto rickshaws which run on battery. He said this will not only provide employment to jobless youth but in the long can replace the diesel-run auto rickshaws and mini buses in Steel City, which are the major source of pollution here.
According to the figures available from the district transport office, there are more than 30,000 registered fleet of auto rickshaws which act as the major public transport system in the city. The 50 mini buses which ply on different routes also run on diesel.
In a study done by the administration during the pandemic period when due to country-wide lockdown there was a curb on vehicle movement, including the public transport, the pollution level in Steel City was very low as compared to when restrictions were lifted.
Though for the past one year the transport office registers only new CNG-run auto rickshaws in the city, the old ones running on diesel hugely outnumber the ones running on green fuel.
The district administration on its mission to reduce vehicular pollution here is also planning to introduce battery-operated low floor town buses, which will cover various routes in the city.
A survey for this project is underway, as informed by DC Vijaya Jadhav in the recent past.
Kumar expressed confidence that the project to operate battery-run autos in Jamshedpur will be a success. He said those applying for procuring the vehicles have to submit aadhaar card details along with character certificate from the local police station where he or she resides, pan card details, bank account details alsong with the form which costs Rs 250.
He said one person will be given one auto only and this cannot be transferred to anybody else.
He further added that the vehicles can be driven within city limits only in any route. He said those interested can contact Abhishek Kumar (9135437597) and Vikash Kumar (7004649080) for any other queries. The last date for receiving the filled in application form is May 11.
