Government to consider Scooters India revival package

January 8, 2013: The government is reportedly considering a revival package of Rs 200 crore for Scooters India. The company once made the Vijai Super and is now best known for the Vikram three-wheelers (that ferries tourists near the Taj Mahal, Agra).

Incorporated in 1972, Scooters India, according to its website, is a totally integrated automobile plant, engaged in designing, developing, manufacturing and marketing a broad spectrum of conventional and non-conventional fuel-driven three-wheelers.

The company’s plant owes its origin to Innocenti of Italy from which it bought over the plant and machinery, design, documentation and copyright. It also possesses the world rights of the trade name, Lambretta/Lambro.

India’s scooters market is seeing a revival in recent years thanks to the Honda Activa that has led the charge. The other successful scooters include the Hero Pleasure and Maestro, the TVS Wega and most recently, the Yamaha Ray, targeted at women buyers. In 2012, Piaggio rolled out the Vespa LX 125, a top-end offering that sold 22,608 units during the April-November 2012 period. About 1.9 million scooters/scooterettes were sold in April-November 2012.

BRIAN DE SOUZA