Pune: Savitribai Phule Pune University plans to introduce battery-operated rickshaws for commuting on its campus in the new year.A bicycle sharing scheme was launched on the university's campus on Tuesday. The project is in association with Pune Smart City Development Corporation Ltd (PSCDCL)."The administration plans to restrict diesel and petrol vehicles on at least one route on the campus with the launch of electric rickshaws as an alternative mode of transport. The vehicles will most probably be introduced in a month ," vice chancellor Nitin Karmalkar said on Tuesday.The corporation has introduced a "public bicycle sharing system" at the university in association with Zoomcar's (PEDL) and OFO.Rajendra Jagtap, chief executive officer of the smart city corporation, said the scheme was also being extended to specific routes in Aundh-Baner-Balewadi area in the next few days to promote use of bicycles by citizens and students. The corporation will provide the infrastructure for bicycle users, Jagtap said.The bicycles at the university will be available at an affordable rent for riders, their use will be hassle free, and every bicycle will have a smart locking-unlocking system operated via QR code.The corporation also plans to extend the association with the university to make the campus smart for crucial projects in the big data analysis and command control centre. The projects are expected to be taken up in a phased manner next year.MLA Vijay Kale said the bicycle sharing scheme can be extended to many government and semi-government institutions in Aundh-Baner-Balewadi-Pashan area. The corporation can take steps towards this effort, he added.

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