Bajaj Auto’s much watched and awaited quadricycle, the RE 60, has been in the limelight for some time now after its unveiling last month. With the inter-ministerial group deciding in principle to allow it to ply, there have been voices raised from several quarters.
“We have ‘yellow’ signal now from the earlier red signal,’’ Rajiv Bajaj, MD, Bajaj Auto Ltd. (BAL), said while addressing a press conference here. Individual states will now have to decide on the matter. On the issue raised by competitors of giving them more time to develop a similar product, Mr. Bajaj said, “Why should there be a level playing field in a competitive environment. It is a free market. We have made a different product, an innovation, and we cannot be penalised by delaying its launch. Policy should not be a hurdle for innovation.
The government must encourage innovation, and when policy comes in the way, the policy must be re-looked at and not the innovation. We have invested money, and spent 4-5 years in developing the RE60. Why have others been complacent? After all, the Quadricycle has been in Europe for more than 20 years.’’
Mr. Bajaj said trade unions raising objections to the product was an issue to be sorted out by the government. “Many postures have been adopted by the unions but we can solve the union problems only if we have in our own plant.
The postures have less merit, and are more about politics,’’ he added.
