Quadricycles will now hit the roads only after the state assembly polls, with transport officials telling dna that the concept needs a lot of fine-tuning before it is rolled out to the public.
The matter is a contentious one with the rickshaw sector. And state transport officials, who also believe it will come with its own set of headaches, told dna that it is best that the new government, expected to be in place by October, takes a call on it.
The front-runner in the quadricycle race – Bajaj Auto's RE60 -- has already applied for certification with the Pune-based Automotive Research Association of India and is now waiting to hear from the technical body.
Speaking to dna, a senior transport official said, "The quadricycle needs a lot of fine-tuning. Firstly, it will have to be added to the Motor Vehicles Act. Then, one needs to decide whether it will be a new category of vehicle for Mumbai or whether it will be a replacement for autorickshaws. Can people with rickshaw permits drive them? These are contentious issues and we believe that this government will leave it to the next government to decide."
Another contender in the quadricycle race -- Tata Motors with its Tata Iris Magic -- has already started a television campaign pitting its superior safety features against the primitive engineering structure of an autorickshaw. “It is clear that Tata Motors is positioning their vehicle as a replacement to the rickshaw,” said a state transport official.
Bajaj Auto currently has a 98 per cent share in the city's rickshaw market. Sources said that the company believes that in case the quadricycle replaces autos, it should be allowed to ply the island city as well. “It could be a category which can function as both taxis and rickshaws making travelling, especially from the suburbs to the island city, seamless," said a source.
The autorickshaw sector has time and again opposed the quadricycle saying that door-less rickshaws with their small turning circle are the best for Mumbai's congested roads. “A quadricycle with doors will take up at least a metre of space more on either side than an autorickshaw. On narrow roads outside railway stations, it is autorickshaws that ensure minimum congestion,” said a rickshaw union leader.
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