May consider operating e-scooters for last mile connectivity: Gahlot

New Delhi: Inspired by the e-scooter sharing system in Brussels, the Delhi government may consider of emulating it in the national capital to address the city's last mile connectivity issues, Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot said on Monday. Returning after a three-day study tour of European cities, Gahlot met Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and briefed him regarding initiatives there in the public transport sector, said a Delhi government statement.

The transport minister accompanied by senior officials of the department visited Brussels, Paris and Geneva from September 25 to 27, on the study tour organised by the International Association of Public Transport (UITP), headquartered in the Belgian capital Brussels.

All these cities are in the process of changing over to e-bus fleet and are grappling with the challenges of cost and putting in place an infrastructure for charging the e-vehicles, he said. "We will also plan to replace our entire fleet with electric in the long run. Operation of e-scooters on sharing basis in Brussels can also be considered as an option for last mile connectivity in Delhi," Gahlot told Kejriwal in his meeting with him.

Earlier this month, the chief minister had announced that the odd-even road rationing scheme will come into effect in Delhi from November 4 to 15.

Brussels is experimenting with a similar scheme with the primary intention to reduce the number of vehicles on the roads, the Delhi transport minister said. "The city has recently introduced the concept of 'Car Free Sunday' when the entire public transport is made free. As with our odd-even scheme a number of exemptions are provided during this scheme so that people are not inconvenienced," Gahlot said.