[Abhijit Sur]

THEY HAVE been a feature of Kolkata`s streets for more than a century, but communist authorities in the sprawling city want an end to the ‘inhuman’ sight of emaciated men pulling rickshaws.

Next week the communist-ruled state of West Bengal plans to introduce legislation that will phase out back-breaking rickshaw-pulling in the city of 13 million people, increasingly known as a high-tech centre and home to many swanky shopping malls, coffee shops and bars.

Talk of ending the cheap and popular form of transport has been going on for years, but the state government said an end was now in sight with plans to amend the 1919 Hackney-Carriage Act governing slow-moving vehicles.

City authorities say there are 5,937 registered hand-pulled rickshaws, but a Congress party lawmaker said the number was more than 40,000.

The men, known as ‘human horses’, worry about how they will earn their living when the ban takes effect and their rickshaws can no longer ply the eastern city`s serpentine, congested alleys.

‘Running a rickshaw is no more inhuman than working in the mines or in the fields,’ said Somen Mitra, leader of the Kolkata Rickshaw Pullers Union.

‘The rickshaw pullers must be offered a proper rehabilitation package’ so they can earn their living after the ban, he said.

Legislators said they would discuss a rehabilitation package.

Mayor Bhattacharya said the government was considering a move to replace the hand-pulled rickshaws with cycle or motor ones. He did not, however, say whether the government would provide the rickshaw runners with the new vehicles.

[kultya]

I think this is a real shame.  Its typical of the logic that nobody is really complaining about them, the pullers themselves are perfectly happy and yet the government wants to outlaw such a traditional and colourful part of Kolkatta.

I was unsure about these things before I went but having seen how they work on centre of balance, have huge wheels and mostly ply only around flat areas, whats the problem?  When I hopped in one and he pulled me off it was effortless, sure the guy has huge leg muscles but smiling and laughing all the way just as they all were, they get paid more than an auto driver and have nothing to maintain.

Big shame  

Anyway, here's a pic of a fat bald Englishman giving some work to one in Sudder Street.

Fat Bloke Kolkata

[YETI]

I've mixed feelings about this - if the rickshaw-wallahs were being offered some sort of gainful employment instead of pulling rickshaws all day, I'd say this was a good idea. But all that's being offered is

Abhijit Sur, on Dec 8 2006, 11:10 PM, said:

Legislators said they would discuss a rehabilitation package

which is so non-committal it's not true.

Life as a rickshaw-wallah must be grim in Calcutta.

It'll be a whole lot grimmer if their only source of income is removed.

[captmahajan]

When I was younger and living in Calcutta, I never used these guys because I thought it was inhuman.

NOw, as with others here, I now have mixed feelings about this, too. Specially since they may be unemployable elsewhere, and I don't have faith in governments and rehabilitation packages.

[Abhijit Sur]

Nobody is sure about rehab package. It may be some sort of eye wash where party cadres will get benefit. What I feel this type of rickshaws can be used for heritage tourism purpose in some specified areas. Now in fact they are not allowed in most of the roads. Moreover in today'a jet age they are somewhat unsafe on roads.

[priya]

As much as I wouldn't want these people to forego their only source of income - I also find it inhuman!

When I was in Kolkata, a ricksaw-wallah was ordered for me to move to another guest house.  This man was old enough to be my grand-father.  I loaded my bit of luggage onto his ricksaw, and walked the distance with him.  What was even more heart-wrenching, was that this old man didn't want to take the full fare - he only wanted the fare for carrying the luggage!

Rehabilitated to do what?