Centre issues note to take e-rickshaws out of Motor Vehicles Act's ambit

NEW DELHI: Pushed to a corner by the Delhi high court order that put temporary ban on plying of e-rickshaws despite Centre's commitment to regularize them, the road transport ministry on Thursday said it has already circulated a Cabinet note to take these vehicles out of the ambit of Motor Vehicles Act.

"We have received comments only from urban development ministry which has suggested that there should be some type of licences for such vehicles and drivers. It has also suggested putting a limit on the speed of these vehicles," a ministry official said.

The ministry will now wait for another week for comments from other line ministries and then the proposal will be placed before Cabinet for changes in the MV Act.

Till then all e-rickshaws running with over 250 watt engines continue to be illegal. Though ministry officials avoided direct questions on whether the Centre should take responsibility for any mishaps involving e-rickshaws since road transport minister Nitin Gadkari announced to regularize them, they said police was never stopped from acting against such illegal vehicles.

"However, considering the livelihood of the poor involved and e-rickshaw as the last mile connectivity, we have circulated a list of advisories that the authorities should follow while issuing permission. The authorities can also take more measures to improve safety aspects in these vehicles," said a ministry official.

On Thursday, the Centre also shared the status of the Cabinet note with the Delhi government and how it is fast tracking the approval to end the legal crisis. The Centre's haste to push for amendment in the MV Act to give a free hand to e-rickshaws for sheer political reason has also exposed the doublespeak of the new government.