Mangaluru
Twenty-four electric auto-rickshaws have been introduced by the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) for door-to-door garbage collection in the city area. Supplied by Pragya Automobiles of Bengaluru, these vehicles were inaugurated recently. They are part of the Swachh Mangaluru-Hasiru Mangaluru initiative, aiming to promote cleanliness in the city.
The autos, which cost Rs 2.08 lakh each, were manufactured in India under the concept of Atma Nirbhar Bharat. They are designed to operate economically amidst rising fuel prices, with operational costs as low as 50 paise per kilometer. These vehicles can travel up to 90 kilometers on a single charge and maneuver through narrow lanes as narrow as five feet to collect garbage from houses.
Each auto has a capacity to carry 310 kilograms of garbage and can reach speeds up to 25 kilometers per hour. They will serve three wards each, collecting both wet and dry waste. The MCC plans to expand the use of Electric Vehicles (EVs) in various city operations, including transporting waste to recycling units using electrically operated auto tippers.
The event marking the launch was attended by several dignitaries including MP Capt Brijesh Chowta, MLA Vedavyas Kamath, Mayor Sudhir Shetty Kannur, and other local officials and stakeholders.
