TIRUCHY: The e-bike rental facility at Tiruchy railway station -- a first-of-its-kind initiative in Southern Railway that was rolled out in December 2021 – would be available at Puducherry too in a month or two as the Tiruchy railway division has roped in a firm to extend it to the station. Efforts are on to expand the facility to other stations under the division as well, railway officials said.
"We have signed an agreement with a firm to provide the facility at Puducherry station. We expect them to start operations soon. We will also consider stations like Thanjavur, Kumbakonam and Mayiladuthurai for the e-bike facility. Our team is trying to get operators in those stations to start it there," a senior railway official said. The expansion plans come after the response to the rental facility at Tiruchy.
"We have some regular customers. Most of them are professionals visiting the city for various reasons. During weekends, some students take the rental bike for visiting temples and other places in the city. We roughly make about Rs 2,500 a day through the facility,” an employee manning the e-bike facility at the station explained.
Mentioning there to be an insurance and tracking system in place, the employee further said, “The customers have to pay a refundable deposit of Rs 1,000. We would then collect a copy of their Aadhaar and driving licence. This facility is available from 9 am to 9 pm and we offer the bike in various packages. For instance there is a Rs 50/hour package and Rs 500 per 12-hour business package.”
On the facility, Vijay Mohan, a user, said, “As I am a medical representative, I have to visit various hospitals and pharmacies in Tiruchy. If I hire an auto rickshaw or taxi, I may have to spend about Rs 1,000. As I am using the [e-bike rental] facility, I hardly have to spend about Rs 500. If the railway offers the facility at more stations, it will be of great help for several professionals and tourists.”