AAP demands waiving off approval cost for e-rickshaw owners

Ghaziabad, Oct 6: Disappointed with the Government's notification on e-rickshaws, the Aam Aadmi Party today demanded waiving off the cost of getting necessary approvals for the vehicles before it is allowed to ply on the roads.

"Under the current notification there are some 8-10 aspects which require approval before the vehicle is allowed to ply. The cost of approval runs in to around Rs 5 lakhs. The notification also says the responsibility of getting it approved would be on the association of e-rickshaw drivers. But these e-rickshaw drivers do not have any association," AAP's Delhi convenor Ashutosh said.

The party has said that the Government should also find a way to simplify the process of getting an approval. "It is impossible for the e-rickshaw drivers to bear that cost. In that event the government should waive off the approval cost and also amend the notification," a senior party leader said.

AAP chief and former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal will also address e-rickshaw drivers on this issue on October 8 at Jantar Mantar.

"It is surprising that Union Surface Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari made very tall promises at Ramlila Ground on June 17 and promised the moon to e-rickshaw drivers, but miserably failed to implement any of his promises for more than three months. The road transport ministry has now brought e-rickshaws under the Motor Vehicles Act despite Gadkari having publicly stated that (vehicles) with motors of up to 600 watts would be exempted from the MV Act. Was he ill-informed or was the announcement made to mislead the poor drivers?" the party had yesterday said.

PTI