Battery powered e-rickshaws may soon be legalised by the New Delhi Municipal Council as the civic body has sent a proposal in this regard to Delhi Government.
"I have sent a Request for Proposal (RFP) to the Chief Secretary to allow us to legalise the e-rickshaws in the NDMC areas. We already got the approval from the UTTIPEC in June last year. Once we get an approval from Chief Secretary, the NDMC will prepare the legal framework under which these rickshaws can ply on the roads," said NDMC chairperson Jalaj Srivastava.
The authorities last year had decided to come down hard on operators of these non-motorised vehicles which were not covered under provisions of the Delhi Motor Vehicle Act.
The battery-operated rickshaws are supposed to have motor power less than 250W. Thus they are not covered under the Delhi Motor Vehicles Act. At the same time, since these are battery powered, they don't come under the category of rickshaws.
"Currently they are not covered under any Act. But just because something has not entered the consciousness of the policymakers, doesn't mean its time hasn't come. The Transport Department and the Delhi Police have their valid concerns and we will bring a legal framework which will cover their concerns and under which the e-rickshaws will operate," Srivastava said.
Earlier this year, the Delhi Transport Department had announced a ban on further sale of such vehicles till a policy governing them is in place.
The crackdown was a result of complaints that most of the e-rickshaws in the city have batteries of higher wattage, as they carry more than two passengers when they are meant to have motor power less than 250W.
Another problem was the power they consume illegally by charging their batteries from electric poles or from other unauthorised places.
"In the proposal, I have mentioned 64 charging stations, specific routes in which they can operate, specific parking areas so that they don't block the traffic by parking on roadside and once the policy is in place, there will be a check whether they are operating within the approved motor power which is less than 250W," said the chairperson.
He said NDMC was planning a string of multi-level parking lots for these rickshaws.
