“This is a combination. It’s a rickshaw and a car,” said a beaming Nitin Bhalekar (35), about his latest acquisition, the city’s first quadricycle.
“I had originally gone to the dealer to buy a rickshaw, but the staff there also showed me this. It had been launched that day,” said Mr. Bhalekar, a Chembur resident. Mr. Bhalekar is now the proud owner of a Bajaj Qute, a four-wheeler built along the lines of a three-wheeler. The vehicle, like an autorickshaw, has an engine in the back and runs on compressed natural gas. “Ever since I bought this vehicle, I have hardly touched my motorcycle.”
Mr. Bhalekar, who works with the operations and maintenance unit of Adani Electricity, said he would earlier ride his motorcycle to various areas on the job, but now prefers the quadricycle. “It works out to be cheaper as the vehicle runs on CNG and the motorcycle runs on petrol.”
Mr. Bhalekar cleared his Class X examination through night school this year and said he was looking for part-time work. He runs the quadricycle from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. after his shift ends, and makes around ₹500 a day. “I have two children who I am educating in English-medium schools. It also becomes an extra vehicle for the family.”
Mr. Bhalekar paid ₹3.35 lakh for the quadricycle, including the cost of registration and insurance. He said the overall cost was a little over ₹1 lakh more than an autorickshaw. “I bought it because this is the future. My family supported me in this decision. There was no point in buying a bike, an autorickshaw, and then a car.”
Mr. Bhalekar has been driving the quadricycle for around a month and said onlookers are amazed at it. “All my customers are happy, particularly in the rains.” He has installed a pair of fans in the front of the vehicle and is planning to put two in the back as it gets stuffy once the windows are shut.
The vehicle can seat one in front and two at the back, providing more comfort and leg room for passengers. It comes equipped with an SOS button, which has been made mandatory by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways for public vehicles.
All in all, Mr. Bhalekar is happy at his ‘futuristic’ buy. “I don’t think there will be three-wheelers. There will be just four-wheelers of different sizes, which is how it should be.”
