Delhi NCR has been in the middle of air pollution debate for a while now. Countermeasures of the pollution problem have been implemented but have not gone down well with residents of the region, especially the infamous Odd-Even formula. Many are trying to find a suitable solution but some are just cribbing about the situation.
Speaking about a suitable solution, a Foreign ambassador to India has got one. Melba Pria, the lady from Mexico and the Mexican Ambassador for the country has opted for an auto rickshaw as her official vehicle. Giving a skip to swanky sedans and limos, Melba Pria rides in a chauffeur driven white auto-rickshaw decorated by a Mexican street artist, Senkoe. The auto-rickshaw holds the flag of Mexico with pride and a diplomatic number plate. At first, the commercial vehicle that an auto-rickshaw is, had to be legalised for personal use. Pria went ahead and did all the formalities that were needed to get the three-wheeler as her personal office vehicle. It may sound like a whacky and a crazy move, but it makes a lot of sense. The CNG powered three-wheeler easily evades the Odd-Even formula and the heavy traffic on the streets of Delhi.
For Melba Pria it is more than just dodging the rules and traffic. She feels that using an auto-rickshaw as her daily mode of transport helps do her part in acting against air pollution. While officials worry about her safety, she flings it off by saying if millions of people travel in an auto-rickshaw everyday, then why should she be any different. Initially, Pria’s driver was a bit sceptical about riding a rickshaw, but an initial practice gave him the confidence to ride his boss everywhere she had to reach.
Even after being an Ambassador, her official auto-rickshaw was denied entry to several places including the Parliament, 5-star hotels, and many more. That brave Ambassador never budged and didn’t give up. She continues to ferry herself from her residence to her office and back; she wants to inspire the elite class to opt for more environment-friendly transport options instead of the swanky air-polluting machines.