Kolkata: How about sitting in a garden that moves? Well a city driver who plys a taxi fitted with a mini garden has been the centre of attraction in Kolkata for a while now!
With a bed of real grass on the rooftop and a cluster of eight potted plants inside, the yellow-coloured ambasador car, which operates as a taxi resembles a moving garden and outshines other vehicles on the city's streets.
40-year-old driver Dhananjay Charkaborty who operates the 'plant fitted' car calls it his 'Sobuj Rath' or Green Chariot. A self-confessed plant lover, Chakraborty says his rented house was filled with potted plants and lack of his own space prevented him from maintaining a full-fledged garden.
His love for greenery, however reached a different level after he discovered an empty bottle of alcohol left beind in the backseat by a passenger. After a lot of pondering Chakraborty placed a money-plant in the bottle and kept it in his car. That he says began the 'greening drive' of the taxi.
"I love planting trees. Since I live in a rented house I could not have maintained a garden. But I made sure to keep potted plants and plant saplings wherever possible. Once I found a bottle of alcohol in which I planted a money plant."
"Initially, people made fun of me but gradually they began appreciating my work. When I saw the plant growing, I thought of creating an entire garden in my taxi," Dhananjay said.
The 'Green Lawn' or the 'Green Tray' another name coined by Chakraborty for the car, which he says took around six months to complete, was inaugurated on May 8.
A ceiling of artificial grass enhances the green feel of the car.The cost of creating the lawn came up to Rs 22,000, which says Chakraborty, excludes the cost of decorating the ceiling and planting saplings inside the taxi.
"I have set up an artificial grass bed on the ceiling of the taxi which gives a sense of real grass. I have also put potted bonsai plants near the driver's seat. On the left side I have another tray of grass and drawings have been made on it. The art has been made keeping pollution in mind. The pots have short poems and captions written on them," says Chakraborty.
The taxi which plys from Karunamoyee to Tollygunge and vice-versa does not charge customers additional for the decoration and the extra comfort provided by the planting of trees and grass.
"I don't charge a single penny extra for the decoration in the car, but when they praise me I tell them to plant two saplings. People applaud me for my initiative and give me extra money along with the fare. People are impressed seeing my taxi and take pictures with it," says Chakraborty.
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