Delhi BJP leaders meet Nitin Gadkari to discuss e-rickshaw issue

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders from Delhi led by Delhi BJP president Satish Upadyay met Union Minister of Road Transport Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday to discuss the e-rickshaw matter.

After the meeting, Upadyay said that they are proposing that the new regulations for e-rickshaws be applied only to new e-rickshaws and the certification and modification of existing e-rickshaws could be done by their association.

Upadyay said, "What we are proposing is that for existing e-rickshaws let the certification and modification be done by their association and for new e-rickshaws the new laws will be fully applicable."

He added that if the new laws are applied to existing e-rickshaws then they will become non operational and the owner will have to scrap it and bear the loss.

"Our leaders are working on the issue of e-rickshaw for quite some time now. Court intervened because there were no laws governing insurance and registration of e-rickshaws. The court has questioned that who will bear the expenses in case of an accident as there is no insurance for e-rickshaws," Upadhyay added.

Earlier this year in July, the Delhi High Court had ordered a ban on plying of e-rickshaws and asked the Centre to make regulations for the safe plying of such vehicles. Last month, the HC refused to lift the ban after e-rickshaw association and Delhi government pleaded the court to soften on this matter.

Subsequently, a proposal in the form of guidelines was presented by Delhi government in the high court.