The Government of India on Wednesday has given a green signal for the proposed production of quadricycles to take place.
The road transport and highways ministry declared quadricycles as a mode of transport carrying both passenger and goods within city limits. The proposal to produce quadricycles, which faced opposition from several auto companies over safety concerns, would have raised new problems if the centre had allowed the vehicle to be registered under personal transport category.
To address safety concerns of the newly approved vehicles, the government has proposed the Quadricycles to carry the 'Q' symbol like trailer buses and lorries, and to be registered as commercial vehicles.
"A separate category has been proposed for notification to include quadricyle with specifications adopting present norms notified in the 3-wheeler category of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules (CMVR) or the European Union quadricycle, whichever is more stringent," the Road Ministry said in a statement.
Quadricycle, which falls between a traditional auto-rickshaw and a car, is the first of its kind in India. It is different from four-wheelers and is expected to come at a cheaper price than any other vehciles. Although Tata Motors was the first to propose the idea, it was Bajaj Auto, India's second largest two-wheeler maker, which is going to make it a reality.
"The quadricycles are a significant upgrade over three-wheelers, which are used for commuting in most cities. Quadricycles have fully enclosed body structure - undoubtedly a much safer alternative," said the ministry.
With the government giving its approval, the vehicle is likely to hit the road soon. Earlier, Bajaj said it was planning to roll out 5,000 units of its quadricycle, codenamed RE-60, a month and the vehicle will go for production immediately after the regulations on quadricycles were issued.
Though there is no official word about the pricing of the vehicle, reports said it is expected to be priced around ₹1.5 lakh.
