#CarpoolMumbai demonstrates power of social media... again

The Mumbai Twitterari have demonstrated once again, the power of social media in times of crisis. Even as the city grinds to a halt and taxis and auto rickshaws stop plying, stranded commuters are being given a lifeline via the Twitter hashtag #CarpoolMumbai. [caption id=“attachment_526977” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Getty Images[/caption] The tag is being used by concerned Mumbaikars with private vehicles who are willing to give people lifts, as well as by stranded commuters who need lifts. A few sample tweets are given below: https://twitter.com/_divisha/status/269790408861683712 https://twitter.com/SureshM_/status/269788573283254272 https://twitter.com/ManagementKeeda/status/269794048217329664 https://twitter.com/SideDoorGirl/status/269797309573906432 A live google document with details of those willing to offer lifts is available here. A similar initaitive was carried out in the wake of the July 2011 bombings in Mumbai, when Twitterati took each other home and offered strangers food and lodging as public transport ground to a halt. As Firstpost editor Anant Rangaswami said earlier, “The positive use of SMS and social media yesterday, was yet another example of how it might be a good idea for the government and various departments to figure out how these tools can be used for the greater good”.