Maha to reintroduce e-rickshaws in cities on pilot basis
Maharashtra transport department has decided to reintroduce e-rickshaws in Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad and Thane on a pilot project basis
PUNE: In a bid to reduce air pollution across all cities in Maharashtra, the state transport department last week decided to reintroduce e-rickshaws in Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad and Thane on a pilot project basis; to be replicated elsewhere in the state upon successful implementation.
The state transport department last week decided to provide registration to e-rickshaws even as the previous proposal failed to garner any response in the entire Pune metropolitan area. The decision was taken based on the fact that the three cities have the maximum number of vehicles under their jurisdiction. Transport department officials said that the plan is to give e-rickshaws to newly-registered applicants, and that the government will set up battery stations where auto drivers will be provided with charged batteries after submitting discharged/dead batteries thus saving on charging time. The step has been initiated to bring down rising pollution levels in cities, and the first project of its kind will soon be inaugurated by CM Eknath Shinde in Thane.
Transport commissioner Vivek Bhimanwar said that the project will run on a pilot basis and that it is in the preliminary stage. “The project aims at reducing air pollution across all cities and the RTO authorities will take the lead in implementing the project after taking into account the pilot project results,” said Bhimanwar. He further said that the department is pushing for faster adoption of e-vehicles and encouraging the use of green energy.
Assistant commissioner Jitendra Patil said, “The modalities of the new pilot project scheme are being worked out as there are some more additions to be made. The project will be implemented in Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad and Thane and it will take some time.” The transport PRO office stated that the project is likely to begin in March next year.
Autos form a major chunk of public transport used by the citizens apart from the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) vis-a-vis app-based services. The pilot e-rickshaw project will be implemented in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad and after successful implementation, it will be replicated across the state. The transport department claimed that many rickshaws are registered in Thane, Pune, and Pimpri-Chinchwad. The government will provide e-rickshaws instead of traditional rickshaws. There will be no charging points for the e-rickshaws. The government will arrange battery stations for the e-rickshaws; the rickshaw drivers will be given charged batteries in exchange for dead batteries after the batteries are exhausted. This will also save the charging time of rickshaw drivers. The e-rickshaw policy of the government is in its final stages. Department officials further said that the pilot project will be implemented in Thane and Pimpri-Chinchwad soon. It will benefit common citizens, and rickshaw drivers will not have to make new investments, the state transport department stated.
Deputy RTO Sanjeev Bhor said, “Currently, we have not received a formal order from the government. Based on the government instructions, the RTO department will proceed with the e-rickshaw project. The state transport department is the final authority to decide on the future introduction of e-autos on city roads.”
It may be recalled that the Pune RTO, in collaboration with the city traffic police, had in 2017-18 finalised 14 routes for e-rickshaws but there were very few takers for the same as all these routes were outside the main city areas.
