The state government’s proposal to put a shelf life of seven years to autorickshaws has been taken with a grain of salt by the Mumbai Autorickshaw Union. The government, taking into consideration the safety and pollution measures, has proposed to replace the ubiquitous vehicle with four-wheelers.
General secretary of the union Shankar Salvi, citing a Bombay high court order, said the court had ruled that autorickshaws which are more than 10 years old could ply on roads if they switched to using CNG engine kits. “If the proposal is implemented, we will approach the court. It is an unviable option,” he said.
Salvi said that after a meeting of representatives of various unions, it was decided that auto drivers, if necessary, will go on a state-wide protest if their demands were not met.
Also, he said that the livelihood of nearly 3 lakh auto drivers in the city and 10 lakh in Maharashtra will be adversely affected if the proposal is implemented.“The government should take into consideration such factors before implementing anything,” said Salvi.
Auto drivers in Mumbai said that even if the government were to offer loans for them to switch to four-wheelers, it would bog them down. “We have not heard anything about the proposal. But if it is implemented, it will be very difficult to make ends meet,” said Sunil Yadav, 34, an auto driver.
Most of them have said that to pay an EMI for a loan and sustain in Mumbai with the growing inflation rate will become an impossible task.
Raju Singh, 48, a Khar Danda-resident, who owns five autos, says that the three-wheeler is a more convenient option for commuters and the plan to completely shift to four-wheelers is not feasible.
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