Ban on plying of e-rickshaws to continue

The Delhi High Court Tuesday ordered that the ban on plying of e-rickshaws in the national capital would continue till the law is amended to bring them under the ambit of the Motor Vehicles Act.

A division bench of Justice B.D. Ahmed and Justice Siddharth Mridul confirmed the ban it had imposed July 31 "till such time rules and regulations are brought about by the legislatature".

The bench had banned plying of e-rickshaws on the city roads, saying they were illegally running and were hazardous to other traffic as well as citizens.

The Centre and associations of E-rickshaws Owner's Association then moved the court seeking a review of its order banning e-rickshaws as thousands of people and their livelihood were being affected by the ban.

The bench dismissed their plea.

The Centre and the associations had sought that the stay be vacated, saying e-rickshaw operators live on the basis of their earnings and the government was seeking an exemption or interim directions till Oct 15, by when the government would be able to bring an amendment in the rules under the Motor Vehicles Act.

After the ban, the Centre made certain proposals saying the state transport department will issue identity card-cum-temporary permission to drive e-rickshaws till Oct 15.

The court has time and again asked the Centre how could it allow e-rickshaws to ply illegally. Advocate Sugriv Dubey, appearing for social activist Shahnawaz who filed the petition to ban e-rickshaws, however, told the bench that due to the e-rickshaws, two major accidents have taken place and two people have died.

He said 137 cases have been registered against e-rickshaw drivers for rash driving.