Thousands of auto-rickshaws plying on Telangana's roads are set to swap their petrol and diesel engines for battery power. The state government has approved a ₹200 crore plan under the Telangana Autorickshaw Electric Conversion Scheme aimed at cutting pollution and lowering the daily fuel costs drivers bear. According to the transport department, the plan will convert a total of 18,766 auto-rickshaws operating in the state's key urban areas into electric vehicles.
How many autos, and who is funding it
Of these, 11,254 diesel autos and 7,512 petrol autos will be phased out or converted. Every auto driver will be eligible for financial assistance, or subsidy, of up to ₹1.5 lakh. The ₹200 crore outlay will not come from the transport department alone; instead four separate welfare departments will share the cost, with the Scheduled Caste Welfare department providing ₹50 crore, the Tribal Welfare department ₹50 crore, the Backward Classes Welfare department ₹50 crore, and the Minority Welfare department the remaining ₹50 crore. Routing the funds through welfare departments means drivers from different communities can directly benefit from the scheme.
Option one, fit an electric kit into the existing auto
Drivers who do not want to sell their current vehicle can instead have a government-certified AIS-123 electric kit fitted into it. The government will cover up to ₹1.5 lakh of the kit's cost and installation. Drivers can choose between a fixed battery or a swappable battery depending on what suits them, meaning the choice of charging or simply swapping a depleted battery is left to the driver's convenience.
Option two, buy a brand-new electric auto
Drivers who would rather replace their old vehicle altogether can buy a factory-built L5M electric auto. In this case, the ₹1.5 lakh subsidy will be deducted directly from the on-road price through the dealer, and the driver will only need to pay the remaining amount out of pocket.
No price cap, but dealers must hold rates steady for a year
The government has not fixed any maximum price for new electric autos, so drivers are free to pick a model and dealer based on the range, battery capacity, warranty and price that suit them. To keep the process transparent, however, all dealers will have to keep their quoted prices fixed for one year, so drivers are not overcharged later. The government says the scheme will not only clean up the air in Telangana's cities but also boost auto drivers' daily earnings by freeing them from the burden of expensive petrol and diesel.
