This Article is From Jul 31, 2014

Despite Court Ban, E-Rickshaws Continue to Ply on Delhi's Rajpath

Despite Court Ban, E-Rickshaws Continue to Ply on Delhi's Rajpath

Delhi police has often accused e-rickshaw drivers of violating safety norms.

New Delhi: A day after a three-year-old boy fell into boiling sugar syrup and died after being hit by a speeding e-rickshaw, the Delhi High Court has ordered the vehicles off the road, "as off now".

The ban will be in place till the next hearing scheduled on August 14.

Delhi traffic police has often accused the drivers of violating safety norms and overloading the vehicles.

No permit or license is required for either buying or driving an e-rickshaw.

Most drivers neither know nor follow rules, claim police. The rickshaw drivers are not even required to undergo eye check-ups, mandatory for all drivers ferrying passengers and goods on commercial vehicles like autos, taxis and buses, they say.

In spite of the ban, on Delhi's Rajpath, e-rickshaws continued to ferry passengers today.

"This is better than using auto-rickshaws which usually travel long distances. But there is a need for regulations as drivers often tend to take 6-8 passengers in rickshaws meant to carry four people," said Saurabh from Himachal Pradesh's Hamirpur, who is on a vacation to Delhi.

"Regulations are welcome, especially if it stops the police from harassing us," said Mohammad Affaruddin, an e-rickshaw driver, who ferries passengers from the Central Secretariat metro station to India Gate every day.

While Affaruddin cannot afford the Rs one lakh to buy an e-rickshaw, he rents it for Rs 300 every day. On a good day, he makes between Rs 4,000-6,000, which he uses to support his family of six in Delhi.

The battle over e-rickshaws is also turning into a political argument with all parties gearing up for Delhi elections.

Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari had promised to bring in regulations to permit e-rickshaws; now the Aam Aadmi Party has accused the BJP of failing to keep its promise. 
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