The politics and economics of rickshaws and transport

[Samuel
One thing we noticed, immediatly after leaving Kerala and entering Tamil Nadu was many more bullock carts. When we got to Madurai, we saw several moving sand (usually collected from a dried up river bed). Now the amount of sand that the bullock cart could actually manage is quite small - occasionally one would see a truck passing with about 10 or 20 bullock card loads.
We also saw cycle rickshaws here (and have used one or two) - though most rickshaws are the 2-stroke 3-wheeler power variety (noisy and smelly!) - but it is striking that it is the older drivers that have the cycle rickshaws.

The guide book state that Kerala has had a communist government for many years - and one of the effects of this has ben radical land reform. This may account for some of the difference between Kerala and Tamil Nadu (which has not undergone this redistribution of wealth).