Ban on two-stroke autos in Bengaluru from April

Two centres to be set up to scrap around 150 autorickshaws every day

The decision is aimed at checking pollution levels in Bengaluru.

With pollution levels increasing, the Transport Department has decided to ban two-stroke autorickshaws in the city from April 1, 2018.

Announcing this on Tuesday, B. Dayananda, Transport Commissioner, said there were around 50,000 two-stroke autorickshaws in the city. The department has set a target of 10,000 four-stroke autos this year.

To scrap the two-stroke autorickshaws, two centres — one each in Rajajinagar and Nelamangala — would be opened. These centres will be equipped to scrap around 150 autorickshaws every day.

Mr. Dayananda said the owners of two-stroke autorickshaws, who give their vehicles for scrapping and get the vehicle registration cancelled, will get a subsidy of ₹30,000. This subsidy will be directly transferred to their bank accounts. “The subsidy amount is for the autorickshaw owners to buy a four-stroke autorickshaw. We have a budget of ₹30 crore, with which the department will be able to extend the subsidy to 10,000 two-stroke autorickshaw owners,” he said.

A new four-stroke autorickshaw costs around ₹1.5 lakh. The autorickshaw associations in the city have been demanding an increase in the subsidy to ₹50,000. “We have forwarded this proposal to the Finance Department and are awaiting its approval of the same,” Mr. Dayananda added.

While the department hopes to do away with one permit for multiple vehicles, he said it would begin the process of issuing e-permits to autorickshaw drivers by linking Aadhaar with their permits with in a month.