pune this promises to be a oneofitskind fashion show come august 7 and over 150 nattily done up rickshaws will parade around the ambedkar grounds nana peth at a leisurely pace to showcase their creative hoods fancy sunshades and assorted customerfriendly features to their finest advantageorganised by an auto union rickshaw parishad the objective of the fashion show according to founderpresident rashid khan is not only to recognise rickshaw drivers with a highly developed aesthetic sense but also adjudge them on their customerorientation and general state of overall maintenance its amazing to see how several rickshaw drivers have gone out on a limb not only to decorate their vehicles but also make the ride as comfortable as possible for the passengers by including tariff cards newspapers water bottles tissues etc apart from this the rickshaws also need to be in good working order since its not just looks that count khan saidfor their part the participants are excited about the chance to show off their creativity saleem shaikh a rickshaw driver who has negotiated the city roads for over 30 years now told toi that it all began with getting a firstaid kit for his vehicle the firstaid kit not only helped my passengers but also others in case of a road accident one thing led to another apart from including various facilities for my customers i also decorated the hood with cutouts and festooned the interiors with tinsel my vehicle also has a very comfortable and elaborate cushioning and several passengers have told me it is very comfortable he said my auto is my companion for the better part of the day and decorating it has only been a means to make the ride a pleasant and joyful one moreover doing it up has not really been an expensive business it helps that several rickshaw drivers like me have access to flea markets and juna old bazaars where the most amazing cutouts and motifs are available at throwaway prices you just have to have an eye for them he saidadding a touch of vintage nostalgia will be rickshaw driver ibrahim sayyed who will drive a 1961make rickshaw for the show i acquired this little gem around a decade ago i got it as scrap but i did it up and got it into good working condition it will be interesting for a whole new generation to see a rickshaw that belonged to an era gone up as compared to todays rickshaws this vehicle is visibly lighter smaller and almost a threeseater he saidthe competition will be adjudged by a jury consisting of senior and experienced welders painters hoodmakers and mechanics who will rate the entries on various related but distinct parameterskhan said the occasion will also incorporate various facilities for auto drivers including a free medical checkup camp felicitation and cash awards for academically bright children of rickshaw drivers felicitation and recognition of senior and longstanding drivers as well as honest drivers who have returned wallets and other valuables