In an attempt to rein in e-rickshaws from rampantly moving in its area, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has decided to restrict the mobility of these battery-operated vehicles to a distance of 1 km only. This condition has been incorporated by the Council in guidelines to regulate the movement of these on its territory.
The civic agency has also sent feelers to the Delhi Government for approval. The NDMC plans to use them for providing shuttle services to the public. Having faced scathing criticism for being negligent about their unrestrained movement, the NDMC has decided to make use of the eco-friendly three-wheelers only for the purpose of ‘last mile connectivity’. “We will regularise e-rickshaws, but they won’t have a free run. We would use them as a hop-in transport medium. They’ll have a designated place from where passengers will be ferried to the nearest Metro Station, bus stop or shopping centre.
In view of the traffic congestion they are causing, their movement will be permitted within a radius of 1 km,” said Jalaj Shrivastava, Chairperson of NDMC. Despite the ongoing dilemma over a foolproof policy for e-rickshaws, the agency believes that their plan would still work out. “Firstly, all these vehicles will be registered under us. Secondly, each driver will have a token in which a unique number will be mentioned, which will be akin to a licence. Thirdly, each driver will be trained under the Institute of Driving, Training and Research (IDTR),” he informed. Every e-rickshaw will have a number where people can call on and register their complaints against errant drivers.