E-rickshaws clear Parliament hurdle for plying on Delhi roads

NEW DELHI: Clearing the way for legally plying e-rickshaws on Delhi roads, Rajya Sabha on Wednesday passed the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2015 to amend the 1988 Act which was widely seen as having outlived its utility. The Bill was adopted by the Lok Sabha on March 3.

Replying to a debate in the Upper House, road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari said not only would the poor benefit from it, but it would give a boost to 'Make in India' initiative of PM Narendra Modi as the battery-operated vehicle was now being manufactured indigenously. "The vehicle does not have to be imported from China anymore as these are being manufactured by a Pune-based company," he said.

Senior Delhi government officials, however, admitted that approval to amendment of the Motor Vehicles Act was a mere formality. The Delhi transport department had started a scheme few months ago for e-rickshaws, whereby the vehicles could be registered and drivers could get a licence as well as a public service vehicle (PSV) badge.

"The registration process has started. Once the driver gets a licence and PSV badge, and if the vehicle is registered, he can ply the vehicle in the city." Regulations of the transport department though prohibit them from plying on 236 roads. "These are major arterial roads where e-rickshaws and other slow vehicles are not allowed to ply," said the official.

Gadkari also said that he had approached the PM and finance minister Arun Jaitley to see if credit could be provided to the poor for buying e-rickshaws.

According to estimates by the AAP government, there are over a lakh e-rickshaw drivers in the city. Once this force is added to the city roads, it's expected to have an impact on the traffic situation. Most e-rickshaws were operating near Metro and railway stations before the ban was imposed by Delhi high court last year. Touted as an eco-friendly option that provides last mile connectivity, e-rickshaws are found in large numbers in the Delhi University areas as well as east Delhi.