Electric vehicles zone set up, 600 vehicles launched in first phase of project

In the electric zone, diesel and compressed natural gas (CNG) powered autorickshaws are prohibited. A violation of the rule will lead to traffic police officials penalising the offending driver and also impounding their vehicles, in case of repeated violations

The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) on Monday launched the city’s first electric three-wheelers zone (ETWZ), where only electric autos and e-rickshaws can ply. Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar flagged off these vehicles, as part of the Parivartan project, from Galleria Market in DLF Phase 4 on Monday morning.

Around 550 e-rickshaws and 50 e-autorickshaws were launched on Monday. (Vipin Kumar/HT PHOTO)

Officials said that 600 electric three-wheelers are currently on the roads and users can book a ride via an app created by its concessionaire. Around 550 of these vehicles are e-rickshaws while the rest are e-autorickshaws. Fares for the ride will be the same for both vehicles, officials said.

In the electric zone, diesel and compressed natural gas (CNG) powered autorickshaws are prohibited. A violation of the rule will lead to traffic police officials penalising the offending driver and also impounding their vehicles, in case of repeated violations.

Areas of Cyber ​​City, Golf Course Road, MG Road, Iffco Chowk, Huda City Centre, Galleria Market, Sushant Lok-1, Vyapar Kendra Road and Hamilton Court Road have been included in the electric three-wheelers zone.

“Vehicular pollution has been an issue not just in Gurugram, but across NCR. Through the Parivartan project, the government aims to lower air pollution by switching to a non-polluting mode of travel. The change is necessary,” said Khattar.

He said that initially, the ETWZ will be limited to just MCG’s Zone 3, and that it would later be implemented across Gurugram and other Haryana districts as well. “The main aim of this project is to replace 5,000 diesel autorickshaws in Gurugram with e-rickshaws and e-autorickshaws, through subsidies and financial aid to diesel autorickshaw owners and drivers,” said Khattar.

The project was launched by the MCG in collaboration with Gurugram traffic police, Haryana transport department, and SmartE, a private electric mobility service and MCG’s concessionaire for the project.

The concessionaire is responsible for looking after the operations of the three-wheelers and the recharge stations, said officials.

Currently, there are five electric parking and charging hubs, at Udyog Vihar, Wazirabad, Huda City Centre, MG Road Metro station and Sikanderpur Metro station. More charging hubs are proposed to come up in DLF Phase 3, Guru Dronacharya Metro station and Galleria Market.

MCG officials said that a fare of ₹30 for the first two kilometres and ₹10 for each subsequent kilometre has been set for private rides that can be booked through the SmartE app. For shared rides, the fare is fixed at ₹10 for the first two kilometres and ₹5 for each subsequent kilometre. However, shared rides cannot be booked through the app.

Regarding the financial aid provided to diesel autorickshaw owners and drivers switching over to e-rickshaws or e-autorickshaws, Khattar in his speech said that the MCG, under the Union government’s Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of hybrid and Electric vehicle (FAME) scheme, is providing a subsidy of ₹30,000- ₹35,000, along with scrap cost.