Nano fit to be declared ‘metro car’: NGO

Citing lightweight structure and low speed of Tata Nano as reasons the city-based Rajshree Parmar Memorial Foundation has requested the central government to declare Tata’s Nano car as a ‘Metro’ car and should not be allowed on highways to avert road accidents

Founder Chandmal Paramar has drawn attention of Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Kamal Nath to this issue. Parmar said,”It would be very difficult for Nano to withstand the pressure of any heavy vehicle or any other sturdier vehicle for that matter,since it is so lightweight. Secondly,Nano car has got small tyres in the front,whereas,comparatively the rear tyres are bigger. But there is only one extra tyre provided on the car for emergency change. So this extra tyre could be fitted either on the front wheel or rear wheel. In case the extra tyre does not fit the wheel,the vehicle had to be parked along the roadside.”

Parmar has also drawn attention to the maximum speed limit of this small car,which is just about 70 kmph. “With this limited speed,the car would invite trouble on the highways and expressways. Because of its light weight,the vehicle could even turn turtle in case it bumped into other vehicles,” he said.

Taking into account all these factors,the Foundation has therefore requested the minister to declare this car as the car that is fit for driving within the city and should not be allowed to be driven on highways and expressways.