Delhi: E-rickshaws now legal, can carry only 4

Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday announced the regularisation of e-rickshaws — three-wheeler, battery-operated vehicles — classifying them as non-motorised vehicles.

Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday announced the regularisation of e-rickshaws — three-wheeler, battery-operated vehicles — classifying them as non-motorised vehicles.

These-environment-friendly-vehicles-began-plying-on-the-roads-of-Delhi-in-2010-and-made-travel-affordable-HT-photo-Mohd-Zakir

“Drivers are free to ply but can take only four passengers per trip. An additional weight of 25-50kgs can also be carried,” said Gadkari to over 100,000 rickshaw drivers at Ramlila Maidan.

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi will register the rickshaws and also issue identity cards to drivers. Loans at 3% per annum interest rates would be given without requiring any guarantee. A benchmark of 650W has been set for all the newly-registered e-rickshaws.

The 200,000 rickshaws can address the last-mile connectivity problem, feel experts. “The transport department should identify metro stations, bus terminals and activity areas and work out proper routes for e-rickshaws” urban transport expert PK Sarkar said.