The Delhi high court on Wednesday directed the city government and MCD to respond to a PIL seeking a ban on e-rickshaws on city roads as they are plying without any licence or number plates.
A bench of Chief Justice V.N. Ramana and Justice Pradeep Nandrajog issued notices to transport department of Delhi government, MCDs and city police commissioner and sought their response by January 8, 2014 on the PIL for ban on operation of e-rickshaws.
The plea, filed by a social worker Shahnawaz Khan, contended that these e-rickshaws are operated with 4 batteries of 12 voltage with power output of 650 to 850 watt and are designed to ferry only four persons, including the driver. But the drivers of these vehicles carry more than 8 persons at a time endangering the lives of people, he said.
Alleging that these vehicles carry neither registration numbers nor the number plate, the plea said, “The transport department nor the civic bodies are willing to shoulder their responsibilities. The transport department started saying that these are non-motorised vehicles and thus not covered by the Motor Vehicle Act...”
“Traffic police is unable to prosecute drivers as they are not covered under the MV Act and traffic rules of Delhi,” the PIL said.