Auto rickshaws

Ever since we arrived in India my son has been fascinated by auto rickshaws and said that the best Xmas present would be an old one that he could slowly and lovingly restore. I scoured the market for a toy one and found a poor replica but I am also keeping my ears and eyes open to see if one of these days I could fulfil that wish. They never cease to amaze us these three wheeled wonders that go back a long while.This one took my fancy at the house of a friend who rescued it to serve as a Bar to family and friends. 

The first licence given to Bajaj to manufacture them was in 1959. In 1971 the three-wheeler goods carrier was introduced and in 1977 The Rear Engine Autorickshaw.


CNG-propelled auto rickshaws are green and yellow in colour while petrol-run auto rickshaws are usually black and yellow (or yellow in southern states).In July 1998, the Supreme Court of India ordered the Delhi government to implement CNG or LPG fuel for all autos and for the entire bus fleet in and around the city. Delhi saw a dramatic improvement in its air quality.Typical mileage for an Indian-made auto rickshaw is around 35 kilometres per litre of petrol.


Did you know there is an Indian AutoRickshaw Challenge (IARC) ?This is a 1000 km (590 miles) rally through the most scenic roads of South India in a Auto rickshaw. The race is open to everyone. Rickshaws are provided by the organizers. Participants have 2 days to prepare their vehicles before the start.The (IARC) takes participants deep into the heart of Tamil Nadu. Once there they travel through an incredible course of misty jungles, balmy coastlines, flooded streets, monsoon rains and Indian crowds. They have to overcome these challenges to become AutoRickshaw Rally World Champions. Now that is something I would love to experience.Has anyone done it ?Would love to hear from you if you have. Any willing participants ?