Delhi BJP delegation meets Gadkari on e-rickshaw issue

NEW DELHI: Delhi BJP today requested the Union government to relax rules in a bid to remove the hurdles for the return of e-rickshaws on the streets of the national capital.

A delegation of Delhi BJP leaders, led by their chief Satish Upadhyay, made the demand during a meeting with Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari.

"Centre government has been making best effort to bring e-rickshaws back on road. Transport Ministry has issued a notification which has sought suggestions of general public within 10 days. A final notification on the matter will be issued after ten days", Gadkari said in the meeting.

Delhi BJP chief Satish Upadhyay said, "We are pained that thousands of e-rickshaw drivers are deprived of their livelihood due to ban on e-rickshaws. Government will also introduce new rules so that they can legally be regularised."

Upadhyay said that Transport Ministry has advised the Lt Governor to ensure that the concerned departments in Delhi organise safety training & counselling sessions for e-rickshaw drivers in the city.

The Delhi High Court on September 9 had said that ban on e-rickshaws in the capital will continue as they are illegal as per existing laws and had rejected Centre's plea to allow them to ply till rules are framed to regulate them.

In the meeting with Gadkari, Upadhyay also raised the issue of toll tax on those trucks at border points carrying relief material for Jammu and Kashmir flood effected people.

"Gadkari has assured that such tax will not be taken from trucks involved in transporting relief material for flood victims," Upadhyay told reporters here.

He said in view of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's directive, no celeberations will be organised on his birthday tomorrow.

"As per Prime Minister's directive, we will not organise any celeberations on his birthday. We will ensure that 5 truckloads of relief material is dispatched for Jammu and kashmir flood victims tomorrow," Upadhyay added.