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IIT Kharagpur Unveils Solar-Powered Smart Cart to Revolutionize Street Vending
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News18•17-10-2026, 16:45
IIT Kharagpur Unveils Solar-Powered Smart Cart to Revolutionize Street Vending
- •IIT Kharagpur has developed an innovative solar-powered food vending cart equipped with digital payment options and a three-way waste segregation system.
- •The cart is mounted on a three-wheeler, allowing vendors to easily transport it home after business hours and avoid permanent occupation of public spaces.
- •Conceived by IIT-Kharagpur Director Suman Chakraborty, the project aims to transform street vendors into smart entrepreneurs by providing mobile flexibility and clean energy.
- •The vending machine will be initially tested by integrating it with the institute's SETU Cloud Kitchen Connect platform to offer digital identification and cashless transactions.
Key Questions Answered
The solar-powered vending cart is mounted on a three-wheeler, features digital payment facilities, a bright product display, and a three-way waste segregation system, allowing vendors to take it home after business hours and reach different locations flexibly.
For its testing phase, the food vending machine project will be integrated with IIT Kharagpur’s SETU Cloud Kitchen Connect platform to provide digital identification, QR-based access, cashless payments, training, and improved business records.
The food vending machine project was conceived by IIT-Kharagpur Director Suman Chakraborty as part of the institute's platinum jubilee plans to translate technology into practical social and economic development solutions.
