Indian-made autorickshaws may be taken off roads in Kathmandu as a pollution-control measure. Vehicular exhaust fumes from automobiles get trapped in the bowl-shaped Kathmandu valley, which is surrounded by high hills. Air pollution has reached such high levels, the authorities have been forced to undertake a study to identify short- and long-term control measures.

There are only about 70,000 vehicles in Kathmandu and 4,000 of them are three-wheelers made in India. Kathmandu authorities have refused to register new autorickshaws since November 1991 and may soon ban them entirely within the Capital.