Panel to formulate policy for e-rickshaws accidents:Govt to HC

The AAP government today informed the Delhi High Court that a committee has been constituted to formulate a policy for dealing with accidents involving e-rickshaws.
The government told Justice J R Midha that this committee would look into various aspects, including insurance of the persons injured or dead in such incidents and welfare fund, so that there could be an adequate cover for such mishaps.
Delhi government's senior standing counsel Rahul Mehra told the court that members of committee would be selected soon and the panel would hold its meeting on June 3.
The court has now fixed the matter for further hearing on July 14 and has asked the government to inform it about the steps taken by the committee.

The court had earlier asked the government to formulate an insurance policy for e-rickshaws to help mishap victims claim compensation and prohibit plying of any such unregistered vehicle on the roads here.
The court's direction had come during the hearing of a contempt petition filed by Shahnawaz Khan, through advocate Sugriva Dubey, alleging that most of the e-rickshaws in the city were operating in violation of the law and rules and authorities were not taking any action against such vehicles.
The court had said that e-rickshaw owners should be asked to go for third-party insurance cover to enable accident victims claim compensation in case of any mishap.

Khan, in his contempt plea, has alleged that e-rickshaws were operating in the national capital in violation of the court's September 9, 2014 direction holding the plying of e-rickshaws here as illegal as per the then existing law.