Abstract:

The Switching to Sustainable Auto-rickshaw System (Namma Auto project) was designed on an “ecosystem” approach, working closely with the driver communities, giving them access to financial services, engaging with policy makers as well as industry players. The project aimed at facilitating an ecosystem that allows the switch to happen through awareness, training, pilots, enabling agreements, arranging policy dialogues and curating models to integrate autos to public transport.

The overall objective of the project was to promote sustainable lifestyles and poverty reduction while reducing CO2 emissions and air pollution in urban areas. It was implemented from March 2016 to May 2020 by a consortium led by ACRA, and consisting of The Energy and Resources Institute, Women Health and Development, Stichting Enviu Nederland, with the specific objective to scale-up an integrated model of sustainable auto-rickshaw transport, based on clean technologies in the Cities of Bangalore and Chennai.