Delhi: Traffic Police to launch crackdown on e-rickshaws

New Delhi, July 31: Delhi Police and Transport Department will launch a crackdown on e-rickshaws plying on the roads of the national capital following the Delhi High Court order today directing the city government to stop e-rickshaws from plying "as of now".

Special Commissionor of Police (Traffic) Muktesh Chander said that they will pass directions of impounding e-rickshaws to their officials through wireless message once they get a copy of the court's order.

"As per court's direction, traffic police will proceed and seize such vehicles plying on roads of the national Capital," Chander said.

On June 17, Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari while addressing a rally of e-rickshaw owners and drivers at Ramlila Maidan, had announced that e-rickshaws having motor till 650W would now be regarded as non-motorised vehicles and Transport department and traffic police could not challan them.

After Gadkari's intervention, all three MCDs had started the procession of regularizing these vehicles. Trnasport Department officials also said that their enforcement wing would start seizing such vehicles.

"We are now studying the court's order and thereafter, we will take action against such vehicles," said a top official of the transport department. There area around 70,000 battery-operated rickshaws plying on roads in the national capital.

A bench of justices B D Ahmed and S Mridul today said "Stop it as of now," while while observing that "unregulated plying of vehicles on Delhi roads is prima facie a hazard to other traffic on road as well as the citizens".

PTI