Chaos in mind of Delhi govt, MCD on e-rickshaws: HC
21 March 2014 5:28 AM IST
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday noted that there was ‘chaos’ in the minds of the city government and the municipal corporations regarding the policy under which e-rickshaws are plying on the roads of the national capital.
A bench of justices Pradeep Nandrajog and Jayant Nath made the observation as neither the city government nor the municipal corporation of Delhi could answer the court’s query as to under which policy battery-operated electric rickshaws were running on the roads.
‘There appears to be chaos in the minds of municipal corporation of Delhi and government of NCT Delhi on the plying of e-rickshaws. There is no answer as to under what policy the e-rickshaws are plying,’ the bench said.
The bench made the remarks while allowing the plea of an association of battery-run rickshaw operators who wanted to be made a party in a PIL seeking a complete ban on these vehicles on the ground that they are plying without any licence or number plate. It directed Delhi government, represented by advocate Zubeda Begum, and the municipal corporation to file their counter affidavits, indicating the policy under which the vehicles are plying, within four weeks and listed the matter for further hearing on 21 May. During the proceedings, the court asked Delhi government and MCD as to ‘who is permitting the e-rickshaws’.
Waving a picture of a overcrowded e-rickshaw, the bench said ‘this is what is running on the roads as a public goods carrier or a cargo vehicle. We are seeing them on roads with 10 passengers. We thought these were not to ply on main arterial roads. Who is permitting this?’
The court also said if the government or MCD is permitting e-rickshaws to run on the roads, then they should have a policy regulating the plying of these vehicles. ‘You must have a proper policy. Writing to manufacturers of the vehicle will not help,’ the bench said in response to Zubeda Begum’s submission that the government has written to the e-rickshaw makers and suppliers on several issues, including the space provided in them and their speed.
A bench of justices Pradeep Nandrajog and Jayant Nath made the observation as neither the city government nor the municipal corporation of Delhi could answer the court’s query as to under which policy battery-operated electric rickshaws were running on the roads.
‘There appears to be chaos in the minds of municipal corporation of Delhi and government of NCT Delhi on the plying of e-rickshaws. There is no answer as to under what policy the e-rickshaws are plying,’ the bench said.
The bench made the remarks while allowing the plea of an association of battery-run rickshaw operators who wanted to be made a party in a PIL seeking a complete ban on these vehicles on the ground that they are plying without any licence or number plate. It directed Delhi government, represented by advocate Zubeda Begum, and the municipal corporation to file their counter affidavits, indicating the policy under which the vehicles are plying, within four weeks and listed the matter for further hearing on 21 May. During the proceedings, the court asked Delhi government and MCD as to ‘who is permitting the e-rickshaws’.
Waving a picture of a overcrowded e-rickshaw, the bench said ‘this is what is running on the roads as a public goods carrier or a cargo vehicle. We are seeing them on roads with 10 passengers. We thought these were not to ply on main arterial roads. Who is permitting this?’
The court also said if the government or MCD is permitting e-rickshaws to run on the roads, then they should have a policy regulating the plying of these vehicles. ‘You must have a proper policy. Writing to manufacturers of the vehicle will not help,’ the bench said in response to Zubeda Begum’s submission that the government has written to the e-rickshaw makers and suppliers on several issues, including the space provided in them and their speed.
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