Delhi’s transport department is readying a plan to replace the city’s auto-rikshaws with a safer vehicle, possibly a small car. Officials at the department say that while auto-rikshaws will continue to ply in residential colonies and congested areas, they will be not be allowed to run on arterial and radial roads. The transport minister has already held a series of meetings with auto drivers and small car manufacturers to finalise the plan. The small cars that will replace auto-rikshaws will come equipped with global positioning system (GPS).
The transport department is also working on a scheme to offer a ‘public service vehicle badge’ to an auto-rikshaw driver interested in replacing his three-wheeler. The badge will allow the driver to purchase a small car at a reduced price. It is believed that with this new move, the transport department can deal more effectively with the city’s auto financiers’ mafia. Auto financiers own the majority of the 55,000 CNG-fuelled autos in Delhi. As per the Supreme Court’s directions, only a limited number of autos can run in the city. As a result, there is a huge demand of auto-rikshaws with permits, which are sold at prices exceeding Rs 4 lakh – more than double the original price of an auto-rikshaw.