Bringing relief to thousands of e-rickshaw drivers in Delhi, the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday unanimously passed the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill 2015, paving the way for plying of the new battery-driven vehicles with ease. The lok Sabha had already passed this legislation.
The Bill brings the e-rickshaws under the ambit of the Motor Vehicle Act and relaxes rules for getting commercial license for e-rickshaw drivers. About 22,000 drivers have been given driving licenses while the Motor Vehicles Ordinance was in place. As per new norms, it will be mandatory for e-rickshaw drivers to wear uniform, carry identity cards and have number plates on their vehicles.
Speaking on the Bill, Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari said that the e-rickshaws will slowly end the inhuman practice of “a man pulling another man” — which nearly one crore people are doing — once they are replicated across the country.
He pointed out that soon autorickshaws running on petrol and diesel would also be replaced by e-rickshaws. Such vehicles have to meet 16 standards specified by the Government. “Old rickshaws are now being modified based on these standards. Two days ago, I got information that 42,000 rickshaws would be ready soon under the ‘Make in India’ initiative and people would be encouraged to get licenses,” Gadkari said.
“Now the driver will also be the owner. And we are going to encourage women drivers to take e-rickshaw licenses. Besides, there are plans to help people from minority, backward sections and those suffering from disability through soft loans,” Gadkari added.
During the discussion on the Bill, members raised concerns over traffic rules, corruption in RTOs, high security number plates and fake driving licenses. While agreeing that there are 30 per cent bogus licenses, Gadkari promised big reforms.
Elaborating on proposed road transport reforms, Gadkari said a new licensing regime through e-governance is on the cards as the Regional Transport Offices have become “centres of corruption.” He added that action will be taken against officers if licenses are not given within three days. CCTVs will be installed at all major crossings that will be linked to satellites to give real time pictures of traffic rules violators.
Soon speed-breakers would be abolished on all National Highways and new technology will be brought in to check speeding. “The practice of half of the doctors in India thrives on these back-breaking speed breakers. We have decided there will be no speed breakers on National Highways,” Gadkari said while responding to a suggestion by Samajwadi Party’s Naresh Aggarwal. Aggarwal underlined that the speed breakers on Indian roads are made unscientifically and have no standards parameters. “Most of the l4, l5 problems in the spine are due to speed breakers,” Aggarwal said.
Before Gadkari moved the Bill for passage, T Subbarami Reddy (Congress), withdrew a resolution disapproving the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Ordinance 2015 promulgated on January 7. His resolution had questioned the urgency behind bringing the Ordinance.
The Government in October last had notified the rules for plying of e-rickshaws, making driver’s licenses mandatory for operating them and limiting their maximum speed to 25 kmph.