Pink E-rickshaws to get feeder service status at Metro stations 

Deputy chief minister and Pune district guardian minister Ajit Pawar on Monday announced that pink e-rickshaws will be introduced as feeder services at metro stations, airports, and tourist destinations. Following the encouraging response to the initiative in Pune, the scheme will be extended to other cities in Maharashtra, he said. 

Pawar was speaking at a pink e-rickshaw distribution programme held at the College of Agriculture ground in Shivajinagar. The event was attended by Aditi Tatkare, the minister for Women and Child Development, among others. 

Pawar said, “The Women and Child Development Department aims to distribute 10,000 pink e-rickshaws in the first phase, covering Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Nagpur, Nashik, Ahilyanagar, Amravati, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Kolhapur, and Solapur. The initiative is designed to empower women financially and socially while providing them with employment opportunities.” 

Under the scheme, the Centre offers a subsidy of ₹25,000 while the state government provides ₹75,000. Additionally, 70% of the vehicle cost is covered through loans facilitated by various banks. 

Minister Tatkare informed that out of the 10,000 pink e-rickshaws, Pune district alone has a target of distributing 4,000 vehicles. On Monday, 60 women from Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad municipal areas were handed over their vehicles, with prior training provided. 

She added that plans are in place to set up over 1,000 electric vehicle charging stations in Pune. The government is also working towards signing agreements with private players like Ola and Uber to integrate pink e-rickshaws into their platforms, ensuring safe travel for women while generating employment. 

Legislative Council deputy chairperson Dr Neelam Gorhe, who was also present, said, “Such schemes help build women’s confidence by offering them new income sources. She suggested incorporating basic first-aid training into the driving sessions and exploring the option of using these rickshaws for school transportation.” 

Kinetic Green joins hands

While the State and Central government have decided to offer financial help for the scheme, Kinetic Green will offer free driving training, assist in obtaining driving licenses, and set up a robust charging infrastructure. Kinetic Green has also promised to deploy 1500 chargers across eight participating districts.

Speaking on the initiative, Sulajja Firodia Motwani, founder & CEO, Kinetic Green, stated, “At Kinetic Green, we are deeply committed to driving meaningful change through sustainable mobility solutions. The Pink E-Rickshaw scheme is a powerful testament to this vision, as it combines women’s upliftment with environmental stewardship.”