After Delhi, Electric-rickshaws (e-rickshaws) are likely to be banned from the streets of Ranchi until a law governing their operation is put in place. The department of Transport is mulling to clampdown on e-Rickshaws after the Delhi High Court has ordered a ban on the movement of environment friendly yet unregulated vehicles on the streets of the national capital.
“We are trying to get a copy of the judgment to study it. Based on the implications of the judgment we will issue a prohibitory order through our enforcement agencies on the movement of these vehicles,” said Transport Commissioner Manoj Kumar.
The environment friendly vehicle incidentally is unregulated in terms of registration which is done after a certifying agency approves that the vehicle adheres to all standards and follows the purpose for which it has been rolled out. Unless the certifying agency gives its assent a vehicle cannot be registered in any State. At present the environment friendly vehicle is not covered under the Motor Vehicle Act and hence driver of the vehicle is not required to obtain license to operate it any manner.
“They have not been registered as there is no certifying agency for them. They may be good from the environment point of view but the question is about their legality,” maintained the Transport Commissioner.
The Delhi HC’s direction of July 31 had come on a petition filed by a social worker alleging violation of the battery operated car in terms of overloading and the threat to life as a result of excess passengers allegedly accommodated by e-rickshaws. Also, the latest entrant in the passenger vehicle segment has been embroiled in controversy after causing death of a toddler in Delhi.
Meanwhile, fear of being pushed out of streets is continuously gnawing the handful of e-rickshaw operators in Ranchi. For them it was an inevitable in the absence of any specific guidelines applicable on them and an indeed a question of their livelihood. The vehicle costs about `1.5-lakh and has a better return on investment compared to the overly noisy and expensive fuel driven autos. The battery operated auto operates on four batteries that can continue up to 80km once charged fully.
“This vehicle does not require any paper to ply on streets. There is no insurance cover provided to a victim of accident caused by this vehicle. So, we were on the mercy of administration from the day we started the service,” said Pramod Mehta, an E-rickshaw driver.
The news of the latest threat to the vehicle dampened the mood of those for whom the vehicle was the most economical and yet comfortable medium of travelling in the Main Road. less noise and no emission is the strength of the vehicle.