The Delhi Government will open registration for e-rickshaws from May 15, in a move aimed at bringing the city’s largely unregulated battery-operated transport network under a formal regulatory framework amid growing concerns over safety and accountability.
Under the revised system, registrations would be issued only in the driver’s name. Each individual would be permitted to register only one e-rickshaw. The change is expected to disrupt the prevailing model in which operators own multiple vehicles and lease them to drivers, who pay a daily commission while bearing operating and maintenance costs, often outside regulatory compliance.
The move follows earlier indications from the transport department that it was considering a one-month window for owners of unregistered e-rickshaws to complete registration, while ensuring livelihoods are not adversely affected. It also comes after the Delhi High Court sought the government’s response to a public interest litigation linked to the death of an eight-year-old girl, who was killed after an allegedly unregistered e-rickshaw overturned.
Officials said more than two lakh e-rickshaws are currently registered on the Vahan database, though unofficial estimates suggest the actual number on Delhi roads is significantly higher.
Transport Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh said the government also wants to instil a sense of responsibility among drivers. “I want every driver to have their own auto, and I am saying this because when they will own, they will value their asset and will keep the necessary norms for driving in check,” he told The Tribune.
E-rickshaws were introduced as an affordable, environment-friendly last-mile transport option in congested areas. However, concerns have grown over unregulated operations, overcrowding, unsafe driving and congestion. They are classified as transport vehicles under the ‘E-rickshaw Sewa’ scheme introduced in 2014. The government has also notified 236 roads where e-rickshaws are prohibited from plying or parking.
