Studies on Energy Consumption Pattern in Mechanized Van Rickshaws in West Bengal and the Problems Associated with these Vehicles

The continuous increase in population and industrial development of the country has led to the increase in the demand for transport, both in cities and in the rural areas. However, the present transport system of the country is unable to meet the demand, thereby resulting in the introduction of different types of vehicles such as mechanized van rickshaws (as in case of West Bengal) in the streets. With the increasing popularity, the defects with these vehicles came into the forefront which forced the high court to issue a ban on these vehicles. This study aims at finding out the energy consumption pattern, the social and economic impact of these vehicles and to investigate the possibility of whether these vehicles can be modified so that they can be allowed to ply the streets of the rural areas.