Hand-pulled and bicycle rickshaws have been a big controversy in this city.  Several years ago, they were almost banned due to concerns about the physically exhausting and arguably degrading nature of the work... but in part due to the lobbying of NGOs that work with the rickshaw pullers and didn't want them to lose their livelihoods, the ban never materialized. 

I visited one of these NGOs, the Calcutta Samaritans, recently.  On my way out, I took a bicycle rickshaw to my metro stop.  When I came to Calcutta, I was sure I would not ride one... it makes me pretty uncomfortable.  I don't know if I got on it because I had just been learning about it at the NGO and wanted to experience it; or because the metro stop was far away and it was hot.  I hope the former :(