Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari Tuesday denied having any commercial interest with the e-rickshaw manufacturing sector.
"Nitin Gadkari has no commercial interests whatsoever with the e-rickshaw manufacturing sector nor has he got any link with the Purti Green Technologies Pvt. Ltd, which, according to reports in a section of the media, has shown interest in manufacturing battery-run rickshaws," a statement from his office said.
The statement added that the production of e-rickshaw is allowed only to manufacturers who have obtained a licence from the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).
"It is up to the CSIR to grant licence to e-rickshaw manufacturers and any firm interested in its production is free to apply for a licence to the CSIR and start production. Neither Gadkari nor any member of his family is associated with any e-rickshaw manufacturing firm," the statement clarified.