Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh): The Gwalior Bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court has directed the Central government to formulate a national policy governing the operation of e-rickshaws within 60 days. The policy will serve as a common framework for the entire country. State governments will be allowed to modify it according to their population, geography and local transport requirements. The Madhya Pradesh government has been directed to notify a comprehensive state policy within 120 days from September 10.
Rules For Routes And Permits
The national policy will provide guidelines for controlling the number of e-rickshaws, identifying routes for their operation and issuing route permits. This will help authorities determine the number of e-rickshaws that can operate in a city based on road capacity and traffic conditions.
At present, the absence of clear and uniform rules for e-rickshaw operations in different cities has created traffic management problems.
States Can Make Changes
After receiving the national policy, the Madhya Pradesh government can make changes according to local needs. This means cities such as Bhopal, Indore, Gwalior and Jabalpur may have different rules governing e-rickshaw routes and numbers, depending on their traffic situation.
However, the state government must notify its comprehensive policy within the deadline fixed by the court.
PIL Flags Traffic Problems
A Division Bench comprising Justice Vivek Agarwal and Justice Avanindra Kumar Singh issued the directions while disposing of a public interest litigation filed by Nisha Gurjar.
The petition stated that e-rickshaws had been operating for nearly 10 years without clear rules, leading to traffic congestion and disorder. It also raised concerns about the impact on other vehicle operators who run their vehicles after paying permit fees and other charges.
Lawyers representing the Central and state governments also acknowledged that the regulation of e-rickshaw routes and permits was a broader issue requiring a proper policy.
