Unable to suppress their desperate desire for riding a
bike, physically challenged youths in Krishna district prefer an
exclusive hand-operated two-wheeler technology, a brainchild of
Vijayawada city-based mechanics.
“The technology
facilitates an alternative gear tool that can be operated with hand or
leg from left side of the bike. On right side, kick rod tool also can be
operated by hand. Two tyres will help maintain vehicle balance,” said
29-year-old physically challenged youth Gandham Veerababu of
Machilipatnam, who discontinued M.C.A.
“Since a
disabled person can not normally operate the gear system of the bikes
having a capacity above 100 CC, the technology costing Rs.30,000 apart
from actual cost of the bike, is helping us realize the dream of riding
the bike like normal youths,” said Mr. Veerababu. Like Veerababu, youths
having a strong desire to ride fashion bikes and having financial
support to afford the technology are also utilising it for their bikes –
Royal Enfield, Bajaj Pulsar as well as other bikes of Hero Honda and
TVS models. “It’s a question of how best we can move like others despite
our disability and enjoy the time. I even enjoy a long ride accompanied
by my wife with speeds above 60-km/hour on the highway,” Mr. Veerababu
told
The Hindu
. Three experts of Vijayawada’s S.K. Baji and Sons Mechanic Centre, who
developed the accessory following their long stint as two-wheeler
mechanics, have been engaged in developing the technology.
“We
are receiving orders from youths from all parts of India for it
installation. We do study the type of disability the customer has and
then go for changing the designs of the accessory based on the bike
model,” said Sheik Yousu of the S.K. Baji and Sons Mechanic Centre. His
two brothers Ameer and Noori are also part of developing this in the
wake of changing models of the bikes in the market.
Of late, the trio had been expanding their business from off-line to online acceptance of orders.
They
accept at least ten new orders every month. “We are eyeing on bringing
out the latest technology at the lowest price to help the physically
challenged of the middle class families,” said Mr. Noori.
Source : The Hindu , 8th June 2013
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