Legal framework essential for electric three-wheelers
The notiļ¬cation fails to specify the tests which will be carried
out on the e-rickshaws. The government's decision to legalize
e-rickshaws has been taken in a hustle, thus undermining the
safety of commuters. The basic objective and spirit of the
Motor vehicles Act are bypassed in order to honour the
commitment of the Union Road Transport minister to the erickshaw lobby. Important issues like the stability of the
vehicle or whether the vehicle has enough power to drive
up an incline are neglected. Such omissions endanger the
lives of road users and commuters. The basic regulatory
framework should be put in place. According to the Motor
Vehicles Act, 1988, no vehicle is allowed to ply on Indian
roads without taking a third-party insurance cover. This cover
protects the vehicle's owner from liability arising from
accidents involving the vehicle.
E-rickshaws were started with good intentions just before
the commonwealth games to replace the rickety rickshaws
with the e-rickshaw. Several futuristic elements were instilled.
Some of the ideas were like the driver would be given
training by private companies and the e-eickshaw would be
made by recyclable material. But unfortunately none of this
happened because of the unwillingness of the organizations
to register such kind of transportation vehicles. Neither the
carriage department nor Delhi Transport department agreed
to register these e-rickshaws.
A coin has two sides. Properly regulated, they can be a boon. Government should take a holistic view of the safety standards and
implement them without delay. It should not be forgotten that with the one lakh e-rickshaws, there will be four lakh people
travelling. The safety of these people and the safety of the people who are on the roads, should not be compromised This new
license rule is easier for the drivers, but the key question is whether safety standards are being compromised. Whether illiterates
can be trusted with a license are the questions that need to be answered. It serves as a substitute for manual pulling rickshaws
and is a way of livelihood for many poor families but on the other side, unregulated operation and reckless driving give rise to
several safety issues. Any further assembly or production of e-rickshaws should be strictly prohibited till a regulatory mechanism
is put in place. The vehicles are putting passengers at risk since the latter cannot claim insurance in case of an accident.
We hope that this entire plan is well implemented without compromising safety and create a new source of livelihood for the
poor masses
7