E-rickshaw registrations to start from May 15 with new rules in Delhi

The Delhi transport department had halted registrations in November last year and worked on revising procedures related to licensing and training requirements.

The government is set to resume registrations of e-rickshaws Delhi from May 15, with a set of new conditions to make enforcement strict against unauthorised e-rickshaws.

Officials said the online portal for issuing training certificates and registration to e-rickshaw drivers will reopen on May 15. (Parveen Kumar/Hindustan Times)

Under the revised system, only one e-rickshaw will be allowed to be registered against a single licence holder, a move that officials said is intended to curb the practice of multiple vehicles being registered in the name of one individual and subsequently sublet to others.

The Delhi transport department had halted registrations in November last year and worked on revising procedures related to licensing and training requirements.

Officials said the online portal for issuing training certificates and registration to e-rickshaw drivers will reopen on May 15. Transport minister Pankaj Singh said the changes are part of efforts to regulate e-rickshaw operations in Delhi and address concerns regarding unauthorised vehicles and traffic congestion.

“With just one e-rickshaw registered for every person, there will also be increased ownership and fewer violations. Unauthorised e-rickshaws in the city will be under scanner now,” Singh said.

Further, applicants seeking registration will have to complete a mandatory 10-day training, which will be conducted at designated centres.

The restriction of one vehicle per licence holder, however, will not apply to registered transport companies or e-cart operators functioning within institutional premises. Such entities will continue to be allowed to register multiple vehicles under a single name.

Officials added that the department is also working on a mechanism to identify individuals who already have multiple e-rickshaws registered in their names. These registrations may be reviewed or cancelled during annual fitness checks.

Besides, authorities also plan to intensify enforcement against unauthorised e-rickshaws operating without valid registration.

The transport department has prepared a draft e-rickshaw policy for Delhi government approval. Officials said the policy seeks to rationalise the number of e-rickshaws in the city and ensure more balanced distribution across localities.

Officials said the draft policy also proposes measures to regulate routes and deployment of e-rickshaws based on demand and traffic conditions in different parts of Delhi.

“There are e-rickshaws across the city, but their numbers are highly unregulated. We may also look at mandating routes and rationalising their numbers on a demand basis,” a senior transport department official said.

The move was welcomed by the EV Manufacturing Society (EVMS), which had been engaging with the Delhi government over the suspension of registrations and issues related to driver training certification.

Rajeev Tuli, general secretary of EVMS, said the organisation had held multiple meetings with the transport department seeking resumption of the registration process.

“We thank the Delhi government for restarting the registration process and reopening the portal for training certificates. The suspension had affected dealers and drivers of e-rickshaws,” Tuli said.