In a bid to remove e-rickshaws from the road, Delhi Government’s Transport Department has sought permission from the lieutenant-Governor to conduct safety and security audit of these battery-operated vehicles. The proposal is pending with lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung. The Transport Department wants to remove the e-rickshaws from the city roads as this vehicle has become a major traffic problem across the city. Besides, the department has also moved a proposal to take strict action against unregistered sellers of these vehicles.
Delhi Chief Secretary SK Srivastava said that the Transport Department has moved a proposal to conduct safety and security audit of e-rickshaws, which is major concern of the department. The idea of using eco-friendly vehicles for traveling may sound good but it has put public safety at risk.
“Insurance companies consider these environment-friendly vehicles illegal as they are not registered and therefore, are not insured. Majority of people see them as an unnecessary nuisance on the road. The life of people is at risk as there are many of them who regularly use e-rickshaws for commuting and find these battery-operated vehicles are most of the time overcrowded,” said a transport official on the condition of anonymity.
“If an accident is attributed to e-rickshaws, then the occupants will not get any claims from insurance companies. This is a dangerous situation. We are allowing an unsafe vehicle to ply on roads, risking the life of the common man,” said the official.
The High Court had, in March, asked the Delhi Government and the municipal corporations to stop passing the buck on regulating e-rickshaws in the Capital.
Before the court had issued the directions, the Transport Department had passed orders asking all e-rickshaw operators to get their vehicle type approved from a recognised Government institute and register them under the Motor Vehicles Act.
The decision to register battery rickshaws under the Motors Vehicle Act was taken following a study by environment body TERI. Under the Delhi Motors Vehicles Act, vehicles with motor power less than 250W and speed less than 25 kmph are regarded as non-motorised. The battery-operated rickshaws are supposed to have motor power of less than 250W.
“A number of steps are being looked at to stop the mushrooming of e-rickshaws on Delhi roads. Sealing of manufacturing units and filing FIRs against the unregistered dealers are the future course of action that is being contemplated. These proposals have been forwarded to the lt-Governor for his approval,’’ a Government official said.