COIMBATORE : Coimbatore city police commissioner V Balakrishnan flagged off five battery-operated autorickshaws sponsored by private firms for patrolling purposes. The electric vehicles will be handed over to the police stations in the city.
Each vehicle worth Rs 30 lakh is equipped with public address system, sirens, rear-view cameras and revolving lights. Maximum six people can travel in the autorickshaw. The autorickshaw has a range of 100 km for one fulltime charge and it would take at least 3.5 hours for full recharge.
City Union Bank (CUB), Anaamalai’s Group and Sri Mahasakthi Auto Agencies contributed money from their CSR funds to procure five auto-rickshaws.
“These electric autorickshaws can be used in the small and narrow streets. It would help in efficient patrolling,” said Balakrishnan while addressing media persons after flagging off the vehicle at the police commissionerate on Thursday.
“The electric autorickshaws were customized. Police can address people through a public addressing system when sitting inside the autorickshaw. The cops who are travelling in the autorickshaw will work for crime prevention and maintenance of law and order,” he said.
The vehicles will be given to Karumbukadai, Kavundampalayam and Vadavalli police stations, the commissioner added. “We are also going to introd uce two more electric autorickshaws in the coming days,” he said.