IIT-Kharagpur's solar-powered cart aims to make street vending more flexible

KOLKATA : IIT Kharagpur has developed a solar-powered food vending cart equipped with digital payment facilities, enabling vendors to move between locations to reach different customer groups without having to occupy public spaces permanently. Mounted on a three-wheeler cart, the machine was unveiled during the inauguration of 'Nagar Udyam-From Street Vendor to Smart Entrepreneur' on the institute campus on Friday.

IIT Kharagpur Director Suman Chakraborty, who conceived the food vending machine project, said the initiative was part of the institute's plans to mark its platinum jubilee and a commitment to translate technology into practical solutions for social and economic development.

Also read Thousands of key higher education scholarship slots vacant; need NSP portal alternative, say activists

Besides being solar-powered and having digital payment facilities, it features bright product display and a three-way waste segregation system. Being mounted on a three-wheeler, the machine can be taken home after business hours, reducing the need to occupy public spaces permanently while allowing vendors to reach different customer groups throughout the day, Chakraborty said.

For its testing, the food vending machine project will be integrated with IIT Kharagpur's SETU Cloud Kitchen Connect platform, which aims to provide vendors with digital identification, QR-based access, cashless payment facilities, training and improved business records. "Our ambition is not simply to redesign a street cart; it is to redesign the opportunity around the person who runs it.

A business that can move with demand, return home at night and connect to clean energy and digital finance can turn an opportunity seeker into a job creator. That is the kind of technology translation IIT Kharagpur stands for," Chakraborty said.