Developed by Shankar Krishnapillai, Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Madras, jointly with farmers NGO ‘Pothu Vivasayeegal Sangam’
Researchers at IIT Madras, jointly with a farmers NGO ‘Pothu Vivasayeegal Sangam, have developed a unique, efficient and cost-effective agricultural transportation system that addresses labour shortage, a major issue faced by Indian farmers. This transportation system, which is a lightweight monorail type, can economically carry agricultural produce from the fields to collection points near the farmlands.
An IIT Madras team, jointly with the non-governmental organisation for farmers, has successfully tested this prototype cableway system at a farm in Nanjai Thottakurichi village of Karur district in Tamil Nadu. This transportation system developed by Shankar Krishnapillai, Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Madras, jointly with the farmers NGO provides an economical and simple solution to this problem.
Highlighting the unique features of this transportation system, Shankar Krishnapillai, Department of Mechanical Engineering, said, “Indian farmers will face severe shortage of labour in the coming years, especially in post-harvest operations. The simple agricultural transportation system is made in local workshops, from locally available components, based on the lightweight overhead rail concept. It can be easily installed on Indian farms and reduce labour requirements in transporting the produce. The system has also minimal environmental disturbance as it passes over the ground”.
