A group of cyclists in Bengaluru – Relief Riders - are out on a mission to help the most vulnerable sections of the society
Bengaluru: A group of cyclists in Bengaluru are out on a mission to help the most vulnerable sections of the society, reports India Today.
Christening themselves Relief Riders, they deliver essentials to covid victims.
What began as a small-time exercise last year slowly but surely grew into a massive team of selfless souls. With 50 of them cycling to deliver many essentials like medicine and groceries, they now number 250 in Bengaluru.
What is heartening to know is that the idea has now spread to 12 cities, with number swelling to a thousand!
Sathya Sankaran, a cyclist says, “We follow all government rules and protocol and we go out only during non-curfew hours. We stay safe and ensure 100% virus- free deliveries”.
The team members – both men and women - constitute people from all walks of life. So they include professionals like techies and even college-goers.
One of the team members – Varun – hailing from Chennai came to Bengaluru last year and since then, has been staying here.
And as soon as he heard of the noble venture, he joined it.
Now as he cycles to deliver essentials, it is not just about delivering them, but also about fitness and breathing fresh air.
He says, “We delivered medicines to a covid couple. After delivering them, the couple thanked us and said we are nothing less than doctors”.
The public can contact them on mobile phones. As the prayers come in, the mobile riders are assigned, based on the location and availability. People can also log in to their app and register their requests.
Earlier, these cycle riders had to update their details on excel sheets, but now, the app has come in handy.
Venkata KS Pakala, who takes care of logistics says, “There are certain limitations in the sheets. So to avoid and address them, we moved to a better platform”.
Last Updated Jun 6, 2021, 11:00 AM IST