State proposes to reduce auto rickshaw's road life in Mumbai

Mumbai: The humble auto rickshaw might be coming to the end of the road in Mumbai.The state transport department has proposed to reduce the lifespan of the vehicle to seven years; thus far, the ‘rick’ enjoyed unlimited road life. The proposal will soon come before the cabinet for approval. The long-term plan is to phase out the three-wheeler completely with a view to improve road safety and reduce pollution.
The autos will be replaced with cars. “The accident rate for three-wheelers is higher, with most of the accidents being fatal. It’s high time the autos are replaced with four-wheelers,” Patil said. “Also, we want to restrict the practice of shoving dozens of people into autos in villages. The autos could be replaced with Tata or Maruti cars, including the Omni.”