In The City of Joy - The Rickshaw Puller of Kolkata. Around 1880, rickshaws appeared in India, introduced by British missionaries. In the 19th century, rickshaw pulling became an inexpensive, popular mode of transportation across Asia. In recent times the use of human-powered rickshaws has been outlawed in many countries due to concern for the welfare of rickshaw workers. In 2005, the Government of West Bengal announced plans for a complete ban resulting in protests and strikes of the pullers.