The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Move to extend ban to autorickshaws also

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Aug 12, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Move to extend ban to autorickshaws also

Vikram Sharma

15-year-old vehicle rule to cover factory, tourist buses in phases

HYDERABAD: In six months from now, it will be the turn of 15-year-old autorickshaws, tourist and factory buses/vehicles to go off the road. After imposing ban on the movement of goods vehicles that are more than 15 years old, the Government will extend the rule to cover pollution causing autorickshaws and other transport vehicles in the twin cities.

"The Government has decided to go in phases. Goods vehicles are taken up first and in the second phase, it could either be autorickshaws, tourist buses or factory vehicles. It might take six months or more to implement it," says a Road Transport Authority official.

There were over 6,500 goods vehicles/stage carriers that were moving within the city and about 2,200 of them in Ranga Reddy district.

Sources in the RTA say that if autorickshaws were taken up in the second phase, over 10,000 to 15,000 of them will go off the road. "Large number of autorickshaws are run on out-dated technology that is causing pollution," say officials.

In Delhi, more than 15-year-old vehicles are strictly not allowed to ply while in Uttar Pradesh, the exercise has already begun.

Other states like Karnataka and West Bengal too are going for a similar ban, they claim.

With the State Government serious on the issue, the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) too has woken up from the slumber.

The RTC authorities are believed to have assured the Government of pulling out its fleet of over 100 buses that are 15 years and more old of the road within a fortnight. Such buses will be shifted to districts.

The Government has issued a GO (MS NO. 265) last month, directing all departments to do away with 15-year-old vehicles by July 31. The GO states that either the existing petrol vehicles be converted into LPG or the departments hire Euro III compliant vehicles.

Government directive

There are nearly 500 such (15- year- old) vehicles in various departments and about 200 in departments like MCH and Hyderabad Metro Water Supply and Sewerage Board.

Will the Government also phase out personal vehicles? "As of now, there is no such proposal. Use of personal vehicles is not much when compared to transport vehicles.

An autorickshaw might cover about 300 km a day whereas a scooter will hardly cover about 20 km," an RTA official maintains.

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