Govt mulls new traffic law for cycle rickshaws

You may soon find cycle rickshaws being challaned for violating traffic rules and rickshaw pullers applying for special drivers’ license to ply a cycle rickshaw on Delhi roads.

You may soon find cycle rickshaws being challaned for violating traffic rules and rickshaw pullers applying for special drivers’ license to ply a cycle rickshaw on Delhi roads.

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The Delhi government may soon introduce a new law that will legalise the existence of thousands of cycle rickshaws, enforce traffic rules and help discipline them.

According to senior Delhi government officials, a special committee comprising members from a Delhi High Court-appointed task force on traffic has been formed to prepare the draft of a new legislation on cycle rickshaws.

The new act, said officials, would make registration and training of rickshaw pullers mandatory and would also enforce traffic rules on cycle rickshaws.

Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) commissioner KS Mehra and Madhu Kishwar, who runs a non-government organisation (NGO) are the committee members working on the legislation.

Officials said the government might nominate more experts in the committee to help them out.

Being non-motorised vehicles, cycle rickshaws are not covered under the Motor Vehicles Act.

No traffic rules that bind scooters, cars, buses and other such vehicles are applicable on cycle rickshaws, thus giving them a free run on Delhi's congested roads.

According to estimates, more than 10 lakh cycle rickshaws ply across the Capital.

“The new law will make it mandatory to have dedicated lanes for non-motorised vehicles on as many roads as possible. Our existing approach is heavily biased towards car owners,” the official said.