Carpooling, the new mantra

Carpooling, the new mantra

The Hindu

BANGALORE: About 140 people in Bangalore have taken to carpooling.

Navaratan Kataria, an engineer with a software company, is coordinating the initiative through an e-group (carpool-bangalore@yahoogrou-ps.com). It has 355 members.

Mr. Kataria allows people to join the group only after verifying where they work or reside. This is to ensure that mischief-mongers do not try to take advantage of the carpooling members. Half of the members of the seven-year-old e-group are women.

Three women coming to M.G. Road from R.T. Nagar and nearby areas were coming to the city in separate taxies. The three now pool on taxi as they do not want to travel by autorickshaw.

Mr. Kataria says carpooling is not catching up in a big way in Bangalore. He attributed this to the "shy nature of people" though he is willing to arrange meetings among members. A survey said most of the people using the carpool system are aged between 26 and 35.