The visitors at Mega Sports Complex, Hotwar may avail battery-operated auto-rickshaw service in the coming days. The initiative is being taken by Sports Authority of Jharkhand (SAJHA) considering the large turnout of tourists visiting the world class sports infrastructure. As of now, agencies willing to work on the plan are being invited. In a notification published on January 13, registered agencies were given a deadline of January 19 to submit their Request for Proposal (RFP) related to solar driven vehicle and setting a screen display showing details of each stadium within the complex.
When no one turned up for the tender, Sports Department has planned to approach the battery-operated auto supplier of Ranchi Railway Station. Former Sports Director Dadan Choubey said that the Government will purchase the rickshaw on Directorate General of Supplies and Disposal rate. “Around 100 to 150 people visit Mega Sports Complex almost every day. It is more between the months of November to March. In such circumstances, we often have to allow them to use their personal vehicle inside the big complex as there are stadiums for different sports disciplines. In order to ban the entry of personal vehicles for security reasons, battery operated auto-rickshaws will be started,” Choubey said.
Unlike, diesel autos, battery rickshaws are eco-friendly and do not cause pollution. “Nominal charges like Rs5 for adult and Rs2 for child will be taken for the ride. For this, a ticket counter would be established near the main gate. Rickshaw drivers will be hired on contractual basis since the process of recruitment is time-taking,” the former Sports Director added.
The payment of the drivers will be managed with the amount collected by the ticket sale. SAJHA officials are mulling to fix timings for the rides. “In order to avoid interruption during the practice session of the players or maintenance of stadium, visitors can avail the battery rickshaws from 7 am to 12 noon and 3pm to 6 pm,” pointed a senior officer of SAJHA. Sources maintained SAJHA is unable to bear the yearly expenses ranging in lakhs for the maintenance of each stadium built before the 34th National Games in 2011.
The list of stadiums include Athletics stadium, Ganpat Rai Indoor stadium, HT Bhagat Indoor stadium, Velodrome stadium, Tennis stadium, Thakur Vishwanath Shahdeo Indoor stadium, Tikait Umrao Shooting Range and Veer Budhu Bhagat Aquatic stadium. Managers of the respective stadiums have been directed to keep a watch on the functioning of rickshaws within the marked areas of his stadium.
SAJHA may also tie up with the Tourism department regarding the plan. Choubey said based on the response of the visitors, they will request Tourism department to mention Mega Sports Complex as a tourist spot in their website and in the tourist map. Battery operated auto-rickshaws have become a public transport on the city roads for last one year. It serves the aged and handicapped passengers at Ranchi railway station.
