The people of Karachi felt relieved when the three wheeler Chingchi started its intercity service a couple of years ago as it is more economical than the buses and minibuses already plying in the metropolis. There are other advantages of traveling in the Chingchi as well: commuters are not compelled to stay at each and every stop, and commuters are free of any danger from snatchers and pickpockets.
There are advantages to traveling in the Chingchi but there are some issues as well. Firstly, drivers do not take care about over-loading and this is a dangerous practice given that the Chingchi is an open vehicle. Furthermore, I’ve seen a few times that Chingchi owners do not respect women when they request not to be seated next to a man. Drivers should respect cultural sensitivities and try to take only female passengers when women are on board. Moreover, most of the Chingchi owners do not want their fuel tank filled and keep a plastic bottle filled with fuel to empty it when necessary. When I asked one of the Chingchi owners about this risky and time-consuming practice, he replied that he did this to protect his vehicle from fuel stealers when parked.
Chingchis have been doing roaring business in the city since their inception. Many owners of CNG-driven rickshaws have converted their vehicles into a Chingchi to make more money. It is necessary that the Traffic Department of Karachi and the authorities pay attention towards these irregularities and launch a city-wise drive and implement guidelines to ensure that Chingchis are a safe way to travel for the commuters.
