Students of Punjab Engineering College (PEC) University of Technology, have designed special lightweight rickshaws, unveiled by a team of budding engineers at the college on Saturday.

The rickshaw is nearly 15 kg lighter than the normal one. It also has extra seating capacity and more space for luggage. A team of nine students from various departments including aeronautical, mechanical and engineering, worked for 45 days till their imagination got wheels. “The idea emerged in August after we returned from NASA where we had showcased our Moon Buggy at the Great Moon Buggy Race. In fact, the buggy triggered the idea of the rickshaw,” said team leader Sahib Singh.

Though the team brought accolades to the college for their buggy, the urge to do something meaningful for the society kept them looking for more. “Rickshaws are a very common mode of transport and the city would come to a standstill if there were no rickshaws on the roads. As we see rickshaw-pullers sweating it out all day long, we thought of inventing something for them,” said Chandra Mohan Jakhar, a student.

The wooden parts of the rickshaw have been replaced by tubular parts made of mild steel, which accounts for its light weight. “This will reduce the effort of the puller by 30 per cent. The rickshaw can carry a load of five quintals and has a low foot board for the comfort of women and old people,” said Singh.

Complete backrest and easily retractable canopy are the other features of the rickshaw, which has been ergonomically designed.

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