Permission to Electric Auto Rickshaws to ply on Roads in Delhi/ New Delhi
I wish to seek RTI information on the following points .
I wish to be not identified because there may be a risk involved in seeking the answers directly.
Preamble:
1… There are several electric auto rickshaws plying in Delhi / New Delhi , having a seating capacity of 4 persons plus driver, have a very high speed, and are capable of 7 persons to be carried. These are three wheelers without a pedal .
2…The Central Motor Vehicle Rules – CMVR says that all electric vehicles require a valid registration number, a vehicle registration plate, and the driver to have a license if the power of the vehicle is more than 250 W or the speed is more than 25 kmph.
3… The vehicle to be exempted from registration as a vehicle must be having a power less than 250 W and speed less than 25 kmph.
4. The rules are explained on ARAI site : https://www.araiindia.com/faqs_electric_vehicle.asp.
5. The legally restricted rating upto 250 W motor is a bicycle grade power, just enough to support a small load.
6.. A close look at the motors indicate that the motors are atleast 1000 w to 1500 w – far above the exempted limit.
7…Under Central Excise Rules all electric vehicles are to be excise charged at 6 % excise duty while selling them.
8… The manufacturers are telling that they got the ARAI certificates and therefore they are safe to ply.
RTI related questions:
1… How these electric vehicles that ply on roads of Delhi/ New Delhi have excess power motors without a number plate.
2.. Why the samples on road are different from those approved by ARAI -if they are approved at all to ply as exempted vehicles, or where is the number plate and the requirement of a driver license.
3.. What is the liability of buyers and what is liability of sellers in such cases.
4. What is being done to identify and stop this possible violation of motor power rating and this violation of excise not being charged at the time of sales.
5. How can a seller tie up with insurance companies for vehicle insurance on road- when the actual power is more than 250 W and claimed power is less than 250 W. What is the legality of a policy if the policy is built on wrong facts.
6. What is the insurance safety and cover of passengers in such cases , if there is a mishap on road.
To,
Public Relations Officer,
Transport Department,
5/9 Under Hill Road , Delhi 110054.
Dear Sir,
This RTI application is filed under Sec- 6(1) of the RTI Act, 2005. My query is regarding Electric Autorickshaws that have been plying on the roads of Delhi.
1) Why the electric autorickshaws plying in Delhi exempted from a licensing plate as it does not qualify under the definition of a ‘ battery operated vehicle. (speed + power generated)
2) Though the companies selling the units claim to have got the approval of ARAI, why is it not being complied as per the provisions of the statute.?
3) What are the remedies available to the passengers in case of an accident?
Please provide me the above information at the earliest.
Yours faithfully,
Nawal Agarwal
D-341
RP Hall
IIT Kharagpur
721302
your RTI application is ready to be filed.
Please stay connected for further updates.
Dear Sir,
The point 1 of your draft may kindly be reviewed to include the phrase :”battery operated vehicle exempt from type approval (speed + power generated)”.
2. What is the claimed or declared power. If claimed power is less than 250 W, the displayed power is much more and in fact motors are clearly marked as 800 W or more on actual vehicles plying on roads If power is claimed to be more- why they are not having the number plate of a vehicle.
The draft is concise and to the point.
Good effort Sir.
Thanks,
sir,
Please mention the areas to be Delhi and New Delhi both, where these electric auto rickshaws are plying.
Thanks
all the above points will be taken into account when filing the final draft.
Thanks for the reply.
Just to reinforce my request, I suggest reference may be taken in from the attached photograph of one the actual vehicles plying on road in Tilak Nagar area of New Delhi.
This is the controller for the motor and it says it is 800 W power- this is the output power of the motor it will control.
Thanks,
The Speed Post Track Code of your application is EKO54933045IN
The article in the Times of India dated 25 Nov 2012 clearly indicates that the Government must look at the Central Motor Vehicle Rules in totality- it is speed and the power both that are regulated.
The vehicle must have less than 250 W power and less than 25 kmph ( both) to be exempt from the license norm and classification as a motor vehicle.
In no way a 250 W vehicle carry 5-7 persons at 40 kmph , up the slope as it does on Rajpath in New Delhi.
Certainly something amiss here and the Government must take up the case scientifically.
Corrective action apparently being taken:
Article in Financial Express of 05 dec 2012
New Delhi: With immediate effect; ban will be lifted after formulating policy for e-rickshaws.
Worried about the rising number of electric rickshaws or e-rickshaws on city roads, the Delhi transport department on Tuesday has banned further sale of 250 volt rickshaws.
With e-rickshaws not covered by any Act or policy, the transport department decided to stop their sale in the national capital till the formulation of a policy.
Speaking to Newsline on Tuesday, Transport Minister Ramakant Goswami said the sale of e-rickshaws would cease with immediate effect.
“These e-rickshaws may be useful, but the vehicle is not covered under any legislation such as the Motor Vehicles Act. In fact, the transport department does not even know how many e-rickshaws are plying on the streets of the Capital,” Goswami said.
He said the department was working on a policy for e-rickshaws, which would be completed soon.
The Transport Minister said the ban would affect the sale of e-rickshaws that operate on a battery of 250 volts or more.
“There are two types of e-rickshaws — those that use a battery of voltage less than 250 and those that operate on batteries above 250 volts. E-rickshaws using a battery less than 250 volts are small and present no immediate problems, but those above 250 volts are as big as an auto-rickshaw. Currently, there are about 1,500 such rickshaws on the streets,” Goswami said.
“For now, all e-rickshaws are run by private operators and nothing is registered with the Delhi government. Even auto-rickshaws and cycle-rickshaws in the city fall under specific regulations. They require licences and have to be registered,” Goswami said.
Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit had recently advocated the need to bring e-rickshaws under a regulatory framework. “The rickshaws have been proving beneficial in connecting places within a short radius. It might prove to be the best connectivity between the Metro stations and nearby colonies. However, the rising number of e-rickshaws may create difficulties at a later stage,” Dikshit said last week.
As of Dec 18, 2012 , these vehicles are still plying in Delhi carrying 8 persons.
There is a ban dated Nov 25 , 2012 notified to public by Delhi Government but still these electric autos are not prevented from plying.
Is there a feedback on the RTI so far.
Is there any reply to the RTI yet.
… [Trackback]…
[...] Informations on that Topic: getup4change.org/rti/30283/permission-to-electric-auto-rickshaws-to-ply-on-roads-in-delhi-new-delhi/ [...]…
There is no updates regarding the RTI , is getup4change is sleeping.???
Getup4change ——please get up. Else change the name to sleep4change.
There is no evident followup on the RTI filed with the Delhi Transport Department.
I would like to ask what is the source of power supply to these electric rickshaw. In case they are using power from their own residence, then it is not as per law, because rickshaw is used for commercial purpose only. Moreover many electric rickshaw are getting power from unauthorised sources.