E-rickshaws have been freed from permit requirements, and hence can’t ban their operation across Dakshina Kannada, says DC

E-rickshaws have been freed from permit requirements, and hence can’t ban their operation across Dakshina Kannada, says DC

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, August 30, 2024: Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner M. P. Mullai Muhilan said on Thursday that the Union government has freed e-rickshaws from permit requirements across the country.

Addressing presspersons, the Deputy Commissioner said that the provisions of sub-section (1) of Section 66 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, will not apply to e-rickshaws which are exempt from having permits.

The Deputy Commissioner, who is also the chairman of the Regional Transport Authority and the District Magistrate, said that he cannot prevent the plying of e-rickshaws across the district.

Meanwhile, as per the gazette notification issued by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways on August 31, 2016, e-rickshaws and e-carts have been freed from permit requirements. According to the notification, the provisions of sub-section (1) of Section 66 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, will not apply to e-carts and e-rickshaws (as defined in section 2A of the said Act) that are used for carrying goods or passengers with personal luggage. This means that vehicles that are registered as e carts or e-rickshaws will not require any permits.

The Deputy Commissioner said that he will call a meeting of all autorickshaw unions on September 5 to sort out issues relating to e-rickshaws.  

Auto drivers protest

Earlier, autorickshaw drivers in Mangaluru staged a protest against allowing e-rickshaws to operate across the district. They demanded restriction on their movements.

The drivers under the aegis of Dakshina Kannada District Autorickshaw Drivers’ and Owners’ Federation and Like-Minded Autorickshaw Drivers’ and Owners’ Association marched from B.R. Ambedkar Circle to Clock Tower Circle.

Addressing protesters, activist Sunil Kumar Bajal accused the Deputy Commissioner of unilaterally allowing free movement of e-rickshaws in Mangaluru and other parts of Dakshina Kannada. Allowing free movement of e-rickshaws in Mangaluru has affected livelihood of autorickshaws operating on petrol, he said.

Mr. Bajal said the autorickshaw parks in the city were already overcrowded and the city police were booking cases against autorickshaws parked in excess of the permitted numbers at the parks. As against 9,000 autorickshaw parks earlier, there are only 115 in the city now. If the district administration fails to restrict the movement of e-rickshaws, the autorickshaw drivers will be forced to intensify their agitation, Mr. Bajal said.

Mr. Muhilan came to the Clock Tower and received the memorandum of autorickshaw drivers.