ERBIL, Kurdistan Region —Nawzad Zrari, 48, has been attracting the attention of curious locals with his tuk-tuk taxi- the first of its kind in Erbil.

He wants to encourage the government to take steps to reduce traffic jams by increasing the number of  tuk-tuks on the streets.

A tuk-tuk is a three-wheeled motorcycle that is being used as taxis in  many Asian countries, where the number of tuk-tuks is on the rise.

During the Iraqi protests, tuk-tuks were used to transport injured  protesters to hospitals in Baghdad and other southern cities in Iraq.

However, in Erbil, Zrari uses his tuk-tuk as a taxi. 

"This tuk-tuk reduces pollution as it reduces traffic jams within cities,” Zrari told Rudaw on Sunday.

“I pick up at least 15 people every day to take them to their  destination,” Zrari said.

“People are witnessing tuk-tuks on the street from the first time in  Erbil, that is why they stop me sometimes just to take selfies with  the tuk-tuk,” Zrari added.

Ali Sami, a local  who was inside the tuk-tuk told Rudaw on Sunday that he is happy to take a tuk-tuk instead of a taxi. 

“I'm very happy to finally take the tuk-tuk..I didn't  need a ride, but when I saw this strange and interesting motorcycle, I  wanted to have a ride," Sami said.

The price of a tuk-tuk journey in Erbil starts from 1,000 Iraqi  dinars to 3,000 Iraqi dinars.

Zrari bought the tuk-tuk for 2,300,000 Iraqi dinars in Baghdad three months ago.

He uses the tuk-tuk to earn a living for his two wives and seven children.

Photos by Bilind. T Abdullah