Subsidy for e-rickshaws to fight pollution in Delhi

New Delhi: In a move to encourage “non-polluting modes of public transport for last-mile connectivity,” Delhi government on Tuesday announced a subsidy of over Rs 7 crore for registered e-rickshaws in the city. As per the government, this will help curb vehicular pollution in the national capital.

The decision to give subsidy to registered e-rickshaws was taken during a meeting of the senior officials of the environment department and the Delhi Pollution Control Department (DPCC) that was chaired by the environment minister, Imran Hussain.

The environment ministry will utilise its ambient air fund to disburse subsidy at the rate of Rs 15,000 each to 2,027 e-rickshaws that were registered with the transport department till the last fiscal year. Further, subsidy at the rate of Rs 30,000 each will be provided to 1,355 e-rickshaws registered with effect from April 1, 2016 onwards.

According to the government, the registered e-rickshaws will receive this aid in February. In the budget for the current fiscal year, the government had proposed to enhance a one-time fixed subsidy for e-rickshaws from the existing Rs 15,000 to Rs 30,000 for every e-rickshaw that has been registered by the transport department. With the government delaying disbursal of subsidy amount in the current financial year, several e-rickshaw unions had staged a couple of protests. An e-rickshaw, adhering to the standards prescribed by the government, costs about Rs 80,000.

The majority of the e-rickshaws — assembled with Chinese parts — operating in the city do not adhere to the guidelines pertaining to speed limit, carrying capacity, and body specifications, a senior transport official said.

In the last fiscal year (2015-16), the government had disbursed a subsidy of Rs 4.97 crore to 3,709 battery-operated vehicles and e-rickshaws.