Who needs a Nano when you can have your own Jugaad?

For all of you following the launch of India's Tata Nano you may want to consider a Jugaad instead.

Jugaad is a hindi word that literally means "work around" (ie a contraption).  Mostly the work around results from the lack of resources amongst the rural population of India but it does not prevent them from having their own motorized transportation.

Enter.. the Jugaad,  which is a vehicle assembled by carpenters and low skilled people much like what the Flintstones did for their cars.  The basic form of the vehicle is a cart fitted out with a diesel pump used as an engine.  A big rod with a wheel at the end serves as the steering column. There are no gears and a basic break mechanism stops the wheel when needed.  The brakes fail more than they work requiring its passengers to jump off the moving vehicle to place stones or blocks in front of the wheels.  Since these vehicles operate in the rural parts of India there is no registration fee or insurance or emissions inspections.  There are hundreds of Jugaad's on rural roads of India and despite the issues of road worthiness, these vehicles reflect the true spirit of innovation in rural India.

The brilliance comes from the fact that most pieces for this vehicle are readily available in rural areas and can be built by relatively low skilled people. The chassis is essentially a cart and the engine is a pump mounted on it. The standard diesel pump is used for pulling water out of the ground for irrigation in the farms. After the harvest (when the pump is no longer needed for farming) it is mounted on the chasis completing the vehicle which is then used to take the crops to the market.  On the way back the Jugaad is also used to transport rural population from one village to the other for a small fare.  When not in use, the Juagaad just sits on the farm and is used for temporary shelter and kids play ground.The pump is removed and used for irrigation again.  

Try telling your car dealer (the next time you buy a car) that you need one without an engine.  You will be using one from your Jugaad in the garage.  Now that is innovation at its best!

photo courtesy:  Flickr Jjukic's photostream  

Comments

[Sarah]

This jugaad sounds only a little less roadworthy than my first car and it's definitely better decorated than my 1986 brown camry hatchback ever was!

[Pooja]

The people of Gujarat called it The Chakada!! At any time, if there are less than 10 people in it, it is considered as a good as empty!