Delhi MLAs say e-rickshaws create chaos on roads, demand stricter regulations

In December 2014, the Delhi government had notified the ‘e-rickshaw sewa’ scheme which was aimed at allowing the plying of e-rickshaws in the national capital subjected to certain compliances.

Several legislators in the Delhi Assembly on Monday raised concerns over e-rickshaws, accusing them of creating chaos in Delhi roads, and demanded that the Delhi government come up with better ways to regulate them.

Many Delhi MLAs have demanded that the government comes with better ways to regulate e-rickshaws on city roads. (Virendra Singh Gosain/HT PHOTO)

The issue surfaced after the Delhi government told the Assembly that it has a database of 71,092 e-ricksaws that are registered with the transport department till July 31, 2019, but not of all battery-operated rickshaws, popularly known as e-rickshaws. This was in response to a starred question by Tilak Nagar MLA Jarnail Singh.

In the House, Singh raised concerns about the lack of e-rickshaw stands and traffic congestion caused by them in busy areas.

Greater Kailash MLA Saurabh Bharadwaj said, “The traffic police deal with e-rickshaws on a more regular basis and they can help in the regularisation.”

Delhi’s transport minister Kailash Gahlot said that he will look into the matter.

In December 2014, the Delhi government had notified the ‘e-rickshaw sewa’ scheme which was aimed at allowing the plying of e-rickshaws in the national capital subjected to certain compliances. In 2018, the government drafted the Delhi Electric Policy, which includes all electric vehicles under its ambit, but it is still under review, a senior government official said.