Now designer rickshaws in Delhi University’s north campus

NEW DELHI - Rickshaws in Delhi University’s north campus are set for a designer makeover — they will have a shelter for the puller, well cushioned seats, and provision for keeping newspapers, a water bottle and a dustbin.

The initiative ‘Life In Wheels’, started by Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) in collaboration with Students in Free Enterprise, an NGO run by the Shri Ram College of Commerce (SIFE-SRCC), is aimed at empowering the cycle rickshaw-pullers in the area, FDCI president Sunil Sethi said.

“When you speak of rickshaws, Delhi streets often come to everyone’s mind. We all can identify with them and hence we decided to start this initiative with SRCC’s NGO. We have already started the service with a few designer rickshaws in the north campus and we are planning to add more rickshaws very soon,” Sethi told IANS Monday.

He said 50 young designers would be invited initially to artistically design the cycle rickshaws, before they rope in notable names for the exercise.

“The designer rickshaws will have a mineral water bottle holder and a paper holder in the back seat. Also the roof of the rickshaw will be extended to the rickshaw puller to cover him from direct sunlight,” he said.

A custom-made cycle rickshaw by Nida Mahmood was unveiled Monday at the concluding day of the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week (WIFW) here. The piece had her signature touch with lots of colour and Indian art to make it look attractive.