Note: The webinar has been postponed. The page will be updated with the revised dates soon.

India is expected to witness a five-fold increase in freight activity between 2020 and 2030. However, there is a lack of vehicle categories specifically designed for transporting goods weighing between 30 kg and 350 kg.

To address this gap, WRI India’s ‘Assessing the Viability of Using Autorickshaws for Urban Freight Delivery in India' evaluates the market potential of employing autorickshaws for transporting both passengers and goods. The findings underscore the advantages of dual utilization, including bridging supply gaps in the freight ecosystem, offering autorickshaw drivers an additional income source and reducing CO2 emissions per trip.

WRI India is organizing a webinar that will explore the short- and long-term strategies needed to create an ecosystem where dual licensing is permitted and practiced. Along with identifying opportunities for collaboration between industry stakeholders and central and state governments, the webinar will highlight -

• Regulatory and policy measures: Exploring avenues to regularize the dual utility of autorickshaws and leveraging the discretionary powers of the Central Government to develop a National Transportation Policy in collaboration with state governments.

• Safety parameters: Establishing an expert committee to deliberate on various aspects of dual use and formulate definitive safety standards, including capacity building programs for autorickshaw drivers.

• Design standards: Emphasizing collaboration between the government and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to design vehicles that specifically cater to dual utility.

• Clean energy integration: Deliberating on strategies for promoting the adoption of clean energy solutions to mitigate emissions.

SPEAKERS

• Yogeesh A.M (IAS), Transport Commissioner, Govt. of Karnataka*
• Pranav Goel, Co-Founder and Executive Vice Chairman, Porter*
• Anjalli Ravi Kumar, Chief Sustainability Officer, Zomato*
• Rahul Goel, Assistant Professor, IIT Delhi*

• Rohan Rao, Program Manager, WRI India (Moderator)

• To be confirmed