Mumbai's first four-wheeler autorickshaw on road; goes viral

Picture/ Rajendra B. Aklekar

With the State Transport Authority recently giving approval, Mumbai's first four-wheeler autorickshaw or a quadricycle that was out on roads went viral on social media on Wednesday.
The 'Qute' vehicle has been registered at Wadala RTO last month with the registration number MH 03 CV 1695, last month and owned by a Chembur resident Sampat Bhalekar.

Bhalekar said the vehicle cost him around 3.35 lakh and commuters using it have been happy as it has more stability than a traditional autorickshaw.

It was in June 2018 that the union government approved the commercial sale of Quadricycles. In Maharashtra, the State Transport Authority gave its nod to the vehicle to be registered as a Public Service Vehicle on January 25, 2019.

Also Read: Watch video: Vasai resident gets the first four-wheeler auto rickshaw

RTO officials said the fare structure of an auto-rickshaw would be applicable for riding on the Quadricycle and it has a seating capacity of 3+1. The STA resolution stated that they have issued the new Quadricycle permit with similar conditions as that of an auto-rickshaw permit.

Since people were getting confused, if it was an auto or a taxi, Bhalekar, who has been driving the vehicle for around 15 days now, said he had pasted a sticker calling it an autorickshaw.

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