”Soleckshaw”, The Solar-Powered Postal Delivery Rickshaws Launched

Aimed at making lives of postmen more comfortable, the Department of Posts introduced solar-powered postal delivery rickshaws. Launching the pilot project in Ajmer on 17th Jan.2011, Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology Sachin Pilot said initially 10 environment-friendly‘Soleckshaw’ would run in Ajmer (Rajasthan) and gradually these modern postal-delivery vehicles would be introduced across the country.Developed jointly by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and Kinetic Motors, ‘Soleckshaw’ are pollution-free rickshaws that run on inexpensive solar battery.

“A recent survey has shown that a postman has to traverse a distance of 40-50 km daily to deliver post and parcel packages weighting up to 10-15 kg,” Mr. Pilot said.The Minister further pointed out that this light delivery vehicle with zero carbon footprint would enable easier and timely delivery of posts to remote regions as well.Additionally, they will make it easier to deliver heavier parcel packages in greater numbers, particularly to institutions and large organisations. At present, post is delivered through bicycles and other modes of transport.Mr. Pilot said introducing ‘Soleckshaw’ was part of the Government’s efforts to modernise the India Post services under Project Arrow, where post offices across the country are being modernised and digitised.Already over 1,000 post offices in 500 districts have been upgraded at a cost of over Rs.160-crore, while over 500 post offices are being modernised every year.“We have starting getting results of these efforts as business at our post offices is already up by 25 per cent,” he added.

(source-The Hindu)