Peter Rehra

Peter rehra, (ਪੀਟਰ ਰੇਹੜਾ) [1] is a homemade jugaad vehicle used in rural Punjab and other North Indian states. It is made by assembling a diesel engine,[2] (mostly meant for pumping water), removing the pumpset assembly from it, and joining it with a framework made steel angles and wooden planks, and finally completing it all by putting four movable wheels, two are steerable (like in all vehicles) and the two rear ones directly attached to the engine via a primitive gear-assembly made from old SUV parts.[3][4] It is, of course, not meant for high-performance, but for sheer-economy, as it is easily able to carry twenty to twenty-five adults (plus their luggage), but mostly cannot move at more than 25 km/h. There has been instances when Punjab Police themselves used this to carry a whole Maruti 800 (which they could not drive out of court orders)[5]

A Peter Rehra as commonly seen on village Roads in Punjab. Notice the buffalo in its hold.

Though it is not technically recognized by the Government as a legal-vehicle, its use is quite common, mainly due to the high demand for public transport and lack of proper bus and train routes, especially to underdeveloped parts of the North Indian provinces.

The name has originated from "Petter", a brand of small diesel engines imported to India in early 1960s.

It is also known as Gharruka (ਘੜੁੱਕਾ), Maruta (ਮਾਰੂਤਾ) - which means the male version of the Maruti 800 car by Maruti Suzuki partnership in India or Dhindsa (ਢੀਂਡਸਾ) - after Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, who was a former Transport Minister of Punjab.[6]