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Rickshaw Pullers Of Manipur
By AK Kom
The consumerism boom of the 80’s and 90’s is being questioned today because it has started questioning the very existence of life on earth. The menace of consumerism, excessive consumption, enormous amounts of waste creation and pollution stand on scarce oil resources, which is an unsustainable source of energy. It has also led to enormous amount of pollution that these fossil fuels create which is excessively hazardous to all forms of life. At the turn of millennium, the western world is looking towards the developing countries for ecologically sound and sustainable solutions that have been a part of the day-to-day life in this part of the world. One such thing is the cycle rickshaw, a mode of transportation in the whole of Asia and more so in the Indian sub-continent.

But at a time when the west is looking for such sustainable solutions, most Asian Governments are ignoring them, and worse trying to discard them rather than improving the cycle of rickshaws. We are attempting to eliminate them in a false endeavor to create a better standard of living.

History:

Cycle rickshaw first came into existence in India in the early forties of the last century. But in Manipur, the cycle rickshaw came to exist in the early 1950s. They were of great technological improvement over the large, inefficient, wooden wheeled hand pulled rickshaw that can be still seen in the city of joy, Calcutta. It also gave a certain amount of dignity to the profession by making the service provider, a driver rather than a puller (though the word is still widely used which seemingly is a term borrowed from the hand-pulled rickshaws).

Traditionally, cycle rickshaws in India can be seen in almost every nook and corner of the country. And when one looks at them closely there is a great variation in them. Some are narrow, some are wide, and a few have a covered top while at many places the top has been done away with. Ornamentation and decoration varies from region to region. Manipur cycle rickshaw is distinct one in comparison with other States. The size of the cycle rickshaw is smaller and lighter than their counterparts in other States of India. But within this wide variety, there is a common thread that makes most of them rather inefficient, uncomfortable and, often unsafe vehicles.

Basic structure:

The regular cycle rickshaw could be divided into three main components - the front bicycle frame, the lower angle iron chassis and the wooden passenger seat structure. The main structure is essentially bolted together. On the basis structure are mounted the rest of the part like wheels, handlebars, forks, brakes etc.

The rickshaw industry can also be divided into three components. The first is the mass production industry that produces the relatively complex parts, which need certain precision such as wheels, forks, handlebars, the chain drive and the front bicycle frame. All these parts are primarily bicycle components that have been strengthened for the rickshaw market mainly by increasing the thickness of the material used. They sell on the principal of ‘the heavier the better’!

The basic bolted-on unit is not only flexible but is often misaligned. This makes the vehicle inefficient. The rider has to put extra energy while paddling. The front end is a black rod stem bicycle frame that is large for an average Indian. It comes from the British times and no change has been made to the geometry to suit average Indians.

The rear passenger seat is made out of thick planks of wood, which are nailed together. The construction makes it heavy yet weak frame which is not very durable either. The passenger is perched up high on a spring, coir and straw filled seat is small, slopes forward and is extremely uncomfortable. The absence of any suspension system is enough to give a backache to anyone. It is also very unsafe because this small seat sits on top of the wooden frame and comes out very easily. Often, on application of brakes, it catapults the passenger out onto the ground. Many of the passengers have lost their lives by such accident. The seat is close to the meter above the ground and the step height is over half a meter making it very inconvenient especially for the elderly and the women to climb up.

Though the improvement from the hand pulled to a cycle rickshaw was a radical change, it is sad that the traditional cycle rickshaws have remained almost the same for over half a decade since its introduction in Manipur. The Government has not given any attention for the improvement of the rickshaws.

Why opt for rickshaw pulling:

Employment generation is the other strong argument in favor of cycle rickshaws. Most of the people of Manipur have chosen rickshaw pulling and allied jobs as their main economic activity. And, the number is increasing, as the current phase of globalization and liberalization hastens the pace of improvement of peasants and landless agricultural laborers. Large-scale displacement of people from the habitats, closure of factories and retrenchment of workers and casualization and insecurity of employment has made rickshaw riding an option that assures a relatively stable subsistence income without demands of skill. For most of the able-bodied, rickshaw pulling is an instant source of employment, a job which little technical know-how and virtually no investment is required. ‘It is not like a factory, I can work whenever I feel like’, is their common refrain. Development has not done away with this sector, as policy planners would have thought; rather it has contributed to its proliferation.

Numbers of cycle rickshaws and rickshaw pullers in Imphal city:

Traditionally, cycle rickshaw is the cheapest and easiest mode of transportation for the people of Manipur. There are about thirty thousand rickshaw pullers in Manipur which is being plied by different communities of Manipur for maintaining and looking after their families. Fifteen thousands rickshaws pullers are concentrated in Imphal city alone.

As far as the IMC authorities are concerned, disposing of license is a simple procedure. But according to rickshaw pullers and owners, it is the most difficult task if one is not willing to give bribe. According to bye-law of the Imphal Municipal Council of Clause 4(I), No persons shall act as driver of a cycle rickshaw except under license granted by the IMC in that behalf. The fee of such license will be Rs 45.

i. Registration fee Rs 84/-

ii. Annual Renewal fee Rs 60/-

iii. The ownership of a cycle rickshaw may be transferred on transfer fee of Rs 45/-

In reality, the authorities are very hesitant to issue license. As regards to registration of rickshaw, the authorities concerned will be charging a sum of Rs 400/- to Rs 700/- over and above the actual fee of Rs 84/- and during procurement of driving license, it will be charging a sum of Rs 80/- to Rs 150/- over and above the actual fee of Rs 45, complains a rickshaw puller. There are only six thousands seven hundred are officially registered rickshaws in the Imphal Municipal Council. Only 40.6% of rickshaws are licensed and the Municipal Council rules permit only one rickshaw for one license. 60% of rickshaws are run without registration no. in Imphal. Very few rickshaw pullers have driving license and only 3200 possess valid driving license. Only 20% of rickshaw pullers are holding driving license in Imphal alone.

IMC authorities are not aware of the actual number of rickshaws and rickshaw pullers in Imphal. We have not undertaken any survey of the rickshaw pullers in Imphal, said Shyamkishor, Assessor of IMC who is in charge of the rickshaw pullers of Imphal. Till now we have issued 6700 rickshaw registration and we can issue 1000 more. But the unofficial estimate of rickshaw pullers in Imphal would be 15,000, he adds. It indicates that about 8,300 odd rickshaws in Imphal city are illegal and that too with the full knowledge of the authorities.

Capture and retrieval:

According to Bye Law of IMC, any cycle rickshaw found plying for hire without a license or found driven by a person not having proper license as provided under Bye-Law 25(a) shall be liable to be seized by the infringement of Bye-Law 8 (b) is not claimed for released within 7 days of its arrest/seizure shall be liable to public auction.

A fine not exceeding Rs 20/- for the first offence and a fine not exceeding Rs 50/- for the second subsequent offence for not driving without license.

Many of the rickshaw puller feared to tread the road infront of Johnstone Higher Secondary School during 10 am to 1 pm everyday where IMC authority frisked and check driving license of the rickshaw pullers. If the rickshaw pullers are not possessing the driving license, they took Rs 5/- to Rs 10/- from the rickshaw puller and allow to do service for one day. The glaring fact is that the money thus collected from the pullers goes directly to the pockets of the authorities instead.

Traffic police and traffic management myths:

For the traffic police, rickshaws are the biggest nuisance elements on the road. Since rickshaws come under the slow moving traffic, motor vehicles Act is not applicable to them. Roads in Imphal are designed in such a manner that there is no space left for rickshaw, says Ibobi Singh, S.I (Traffic). However one rickshaw puller complains that Traffic police beat us and our rickshaw body and confiscate our seat.

Many a time traffic police impound the rickshaws that are not properly parked or break the rules and regulations of traffic.

Traffic inspector, Th Shyam said police might behave roughly with the pullers if they create obstruction to the traffic but taking bribe is out of question. Who will dare to take money from the poor folks, who work desperately to make both ends meet, he opined.

Rickshaws are often viewed as cause for congestion and as vehicle which violate traffic regulations and cause chaos on the road. However, rickshaws and other non-motorized vehicles in Manipur have been completely ignored in the traffic planning and road designs. The roads network is used by at least seven categories of motorized and non-motorized vehicles. Vehicles ranging in width from 0.60 m to 2.6 m and capable of maximum speeds ranging from 15 km/hr to 100 km/hr, share the same road space and carriageway. This traffic regulation is characterized by lack of any effective channelization, mode of segregation or control of speeds. In the mind of the formally trained planner it looks like chaos moving toward total deadlock. Motor vehicles and non-motorized vehicles have different densities at peak traffic hours at different locations of cities. The existing traffic characteristics, modal mix, location details, geometric design, land use characteristics and other operating characteristics present a unique situation where economic and travels compulsions have overwhelmed the official plans.

Since rickshaws and other non-motorized vehicles use the left side of the road, buses are unable to use the designated bus lanes and are forced to stop in the middle lane as the bus stops.

This disrupts the smooth flow of traffic in all lanes and makes cycling, use of rickshaws and other non motorized modes more hazardous. Providing a separate bicycle and rickshaw track would make more space available for motorized modes and cycling less hazardous. Clearly, it is the lack of facilities for rickshaws and other non motorized modes which results in congestion and chaos and not the presence of these vehicles in themselves.

Role of cycle-rickshaws:

Public transport plays a limited role in the town and city of Manipur. Intermediate public transport or para transit modes, motorized three wheelers and non motorized cycle rickshaws, plays an important role in intracity travel. Rickshaws are used for delivery of goods like furniture, refrigerators, washing machine etc. And it is the cheapest and easiest mode of transportation in Manipur. Therefore, the demand for rickshaws is large at present and is likely to magnify in the future also. This situation is not explicitly recognized in policy documents and very little attention has been paid in improving the facilities for cycle rickshaws.

The unprotected-unwanted workforce:

Since 1951, the State Government has not taken up any welfare measures for the poor rickshaw pullers and drivers of Manipur. Typically, they are the breadwinner and supports a family of five or six and it alone sustained no less than 1,50,000 people of Manipur.

Rickshaws pullers are among the least organized and least protected sectors. Neither is their working environment regulated nor their social security issues addressed. The vulnerability of the rickshaw pullers is further accentuated by the fact that the majority of those who ride rickshaws are not owners.

Economically, rickshaw pullers are one of the poorest of the poor in the society of Manipur. With no control over the number of rickshaws for a particular locality, there is constant struggle and competition among the rickshaw pullers. "We work very hard and hardly earned Rs 100/- in a day and we have to pay Rs 20/- to the owner as a rent daily, and the rest is spent on food and others maintenance thereby leaving a small amount at the end of the month.

From early morning to evening they plied rickshaws and even during the bandh, they also plied rickshaw in order to maintain their family. Their friends are amongst the rickshaw drivers and pullers only.

Most of the women of the rickshaw pullers are confined to their own homes. Their work is to cook food, wash cloth and looking after their children. 90% of women of the rickshaw pullers are illiterate. Their children couldn't go to good schools for proper education and many of them suffered from malnutrition. As the rickshaw pullers are not aware of the family planning measures, they tend to have minimum of five children which they can hardly afford.

Cycling on an empty stomach is a common experience among rickshaws pullers. Living in abject poverty, most of them smoke beedies, chew tobacco, drink locally brewed alcohol and some are also prone to drugs. Most of them suffer from tuberculosis, asthma, chest problem and body ache and are unaware of their diseases and approach the local cheapest Doctor and pharmacy only on serious illness. As they do not check their ailment on a timely basis, sometimes they collapse and cause serious accidents.

Most of the times the passengers and the rickshaw pullers used to quarrel over fare owing to the fact that IMC authorities do not fixed distance wise rates properly.

For accidents they do not get any claim from anywhere. Usually they live in a poor rented mud houses. They are not aware of any social security scheme provided for the rickshaw pullers.

Government's attention - need of the hour:

Though under the Ministry of Labor, Government of India has provided many welfare schemes for the rickshaw pullers and that, the Secretary, Ministry of Labor, Government of India on January, 1998 had asked the Secretary, Labor, Government of Manipur to take comprehensive survey regarding their number, social and economic status, literacy level, health status etc. by involving the administration, police, municipal, health, transport and other concerned agencies. Based on this survey, the Ministry of Labor will take up the measures for the Rickshaw pullers of Manipur. The measures which the Center provided are:

1. Issuance of Registration and Identity Card.

2. Construction of rest house and rickshaw shed with drinking water and lavatory

3. Provision of dispensary, medical facilities etc

4. Giving social security scheme and

5. Sanction of loans on easy installments and purchase/repair of rickshaw.

However, the State Government had sent a report to the Secretary Ministry of Labor, Government of India, that there is no rickshaw puller in Manipur. Therefore, there is no assessment report on the said status. Again, the Secretary, Ministry of Labor, Government of India had sent a letter on March 2000 to the State Government to file a report on the status of rickshaw pullers of Manipur. Till now, the said report has not been prepared by the concern department and file has gathered dust the State Secretariat. This show that the State Government was not concerning about the welfare of the poor rickshaw pullers though the profession of rickshaw puller is the highest self employment sustaining a population of 1, 50,000 people.

Moreover the State Government has not given any attention for the improvement of the cycle rickshaws. The non-recognition of the economic worth of rickshaws as public utility has another consequence. Government and the private sector have never bothered to invest in the production of cycle rickshaw and technological innovation based on research and development. Cycle rickshaws assembled locally with little scientific application in designs and fabrication, affects the stability and rigidity of rickshaw. A cycle rickshaw weighs 80-90 kgs, has a large frame, a seat loosely fitted, one brake in the frame and only one rear wheel driven gear makes driving extremely strenuous and precarious. Unfortunately, attempts to improve the design and fabrication of cycle rickshaw never received encouragement because of combinations of factors like illegal and opaque industry, its informal status, rigidly of the administrative system.

Rickshaws have a positive role in modern transport system when mobility and clean environment are the basic concern of policy makers. However poor understanding of the requirements and lack of facilities for these modes creates congestion and inconvenience for all other vehicles. It is possible to design roads and parking facilities for them in cities which will facilitate movement of other vehicles also. Such policies will also help in enhancing the positive role that rickshaw and non-motorized vehicles can play in city transport system.

Probably our ‘rickshawallas’ will get better deal when our planners and governing authorities recognize that rickshaws are non-polluting, cheap and efficient mode of public transport which gives employment and self-sustenance for millions of people.

Organizing the rickshaw pullers under one roof has been a cumbersome and difficult task. Yet, there are many who champion their cause and the propagation of cycle rickshaws as clean mode of transport. The All Manipur Rickshaw Drivers' and Pullers' Welfare Association salutes them.

*** The writer is the general secretary of AMRDPWA

(Courtesy: The Sangai Express)

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