Clear applications for more autos in Delhi, says union

With the Delhi government planning to restrict the movement of private vehicles, an autorickshaw union on Sunday demanded an immediate decision on around 18,000 applications to allow more autorickshaws on roads.

At present, around 80,000 autorickshaws are plying across the national Capital.

“The Delhi government’s Transport Department is yet to take a decision on around 18,000 applications, which is pending for seven months, to issue new permits for allowing more new autorickshaws on the city’s roads,” said Rajendra Soni, Delhi Autorickshaw Sangh’s general secretary.

“After the government’s even-odd formula, there will be a huge crowd of passengers on roads. As the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and cluster buses don’t have sufficient numbers, the government should allow pending applications for new permits,” he said.

In a radical step, the Arvind Kejriwal government has announced that private vehicles bearing odd and even registration numbers will be allowed to ply only on alternate days starting January 1 next year.

Soni said auto unions will support the government's even-odd formula if it agrees to issue more permits so that new autorickshaws could come on roads to meet the rush.

Outlining the contours of its plan to curb pollution through odd-even number plate formula, the Delhi government, earlier in the day, said that odd-numbered cars will be allowed to ply on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays while even-numbered vehicles will run on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Delhi Home Minister Satyendra Jain also said the government will only allow emergency vehicles like PCR van, fire tenders, ambulances on the roads of the national Capital.