The model gives women the ownership of mobility through e-rickshaws, breaking gender stereotypes in the community. Moreover, replacing a conventional auto-rickshaw with an electric auto-rickshaw can reduce carbon emissions by about 37 tonnes/per auto over its 10-year lifetime (India Innovation Lab for Green Finance 2018). The implementation of this model has seen multifaceted impacts, with women transitioning from traditional enterprises to opting for e-rickshaws, young girls going for higher education, women entrepreneurs travelling to market on their own, and women becoming independent in getting medical help for themselves or their children.

A light in Prabha’s life

Prabha Devi, 42, is a hardworking woman from Maharajpura village, near Orchha town of Tikamgarh district, Madhya Pradesh. She was a member of Sakshi FPO (Farmer Producer Organisation), a successful spice processing unit selling turmeric, chillies, and coriander. As its members started quitting it to start their stores, the FPO was temporarily shut down in 2019.

Looking for a fresh start, Prabha chanced upon ‘Namaste Orchha’, a tourism promotion festival, and its special scheme for women-led e-rickshaws. She liked the idea and joined the programme. She underwent immersive 15-day training under the scheme in which she learnt about traffic rules, how to talk to customers, and finally rode an e-rickshaw. After the successful completion of the training, she was rewarded with a driving licence. Her business skills came in handy in making her new business profitable and responding to new challenges. She plies her e-rickshaw between Maharajpura and Orchha, targeting the localities with schools and markets, and earns ₹ 13,000 a month.

She has become an inspiration for many women in Orchha who have come forward to ply e-rickshaws. As Orchha is a tourist town, there is a good demand for commuting facilities as tourists look for quick and easy modes of transport to visit the many beautiful locales of the town. E-rickshaws also spread the message of green transportation with low carbon emissions. Recently the local administration of Orchha mandated that the e-rickshaw is the preferred mode of transport near the historical fort area and the temple. This proactive approach of the authorities has made the women running e-rickshaws more visible in the community.

Prabha’s story does not stop here. She is also a certified security guard and promotes “women at work”. She supported her daughter-in-law by enrolling her in the local police force. She has also trained two fellow women to ride e-rickshaws. Prabha says, “Since I started driving the e-rickshaw, my confidence has increased and I feel accomplished.”

Meanwhile, in Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh, a two-year project is underway, with co-funding leveraged from ISS Foundation of Spain, to scale the existing e-rickshaw prototype and its adoption by young women. Under Aarya e-mobility programme, Development Alternatives envisions to create a network of women-run e-rickshaws in Mirzapur and Bhadohi, Uttar Pradesh to provide safe mobility to women and young girls. #becomingvisibletogether #humariudaanhumaripehchan

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