The summer season has begun early this year, with record-high temperatures registered in the month of April itself. Apart from the usual cooling methods, people are coming up with new and ingenious tricks to beat the heat and cool themselves down. Food and drink are a great way to keep the body cool in this scorching summer heat. One auto driver in Delhi, however, thought of a very unique and innovative solution to keep himself and his passengers cool. Believe it or not, the driver has created an entire garden on his auto rickshaw's roof!
VIDEO: Delhi driver grows garden on auto-rickshaw roof to beat the heat.
Yellow and green auto-rickshaws are ubiquitous on New Delhi's roads but Mahendra Kumar's vehicle stands out -- it has a garden on its roof aimed at keeping passengers cool during the searing summer season pic.twitter.com/9DIYv7lVR2— AFP News Agency (@AFP) May 3, 2022
Delhi driver grows garden on autorickshaw roof to beat the heat.
???? @Money_Sharma#AFPpic.twitter.com/qtQDGEJLoY
— AFP Photo (@AFPphoto) May 2, 2022
(Also Read: Did You Know? This Chennai Auto Driver Has A Mini Fridge For Passengers)
Mahendra Kumar is a 48-year-old auto driver based in Delhi who came up with this creative idea to keep himself and his passengers cool during the scorching summer heat. He has managed to grow over 20 different varieties of herbs, vegetables and plants in this moving garden on the roof of his auto. He has even planted crops such as lettuce, tomato and millets in the one-of-its-kind garden. Kumar first put a mat on the roof, followed by a sack and then added soil to grow the garden. He waters the plants twice a day in order to keep them green and healthy.
"Around two years ago I had this idea during the peak of the summer season. I thought if I can grow some plants on the roof, it will keep my auto cool and give relief from the heat to my passengers," Kumar told AFP. "It is now like a natural AC (air conditioner). My passengers are so happy after the ride that they don't mind paying me an extra 10-20 bucks," he added.
The Delhi auto driver's unique idea has got immense praise from citizens online. Many passers-by also click photographs with Kumar's garden, while fellow auto drivers ask him for tips. Take a look at some of the reactions on social media:
Oh I don't miss Delhi in 45 degree heat! I love the rickshaw wallah's ingenuity. He has to survive out there somehow.— Paula Maiorano (@PaulaMaiorano63) May 3, 2022
Why is INDIA so hot ???
In last 10 years over 100 million trees were cut in INDIA for widening roads and highways.
But not more than a 100 thousand trees have been planted by Govt. or public...!!!
How to make INDIA cool....!!!
Clearly demonstrated by this rickshawalla!!! ????— Eric Smart (@ericgotsmart) May 3, 2022
Super Awesome.????????. we need more such green footprints???????? https://t.co/9JVBPhKidJ— Swati Kathuria (@SwatiKathuria5) May 3, 2022
What did you think of the Delhi auto driver's unique initiative? Tell us in the comments.