Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has decided to make permits mandatory for e-rickshaws and e-bikes used for passenger transport, Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik announced on Friday.
Temporary Suspension on New Auto and Taxi Permits
The process of issuing new permits for auto-rickshaws and taxis in the state has been temporarily suspended for the past two days. However, the government has now decided that e-rickshaws and e-bikes operating in passenger transport must be properly registered with the Motor Vehicles Department and obtain valid permits.
Sarnaik said that until now, electric rickshaws were not required to obtain a separate permit for carrying passengers. However, considering the rapid increase in the number of electric vehicles, the state has decided to make the permit process compulsory for e-rickshaws and e-bikes in accordance with the Central Government notification dated June 30, 2016.
Bringing Uniformity and Transparency to the Sector
The move aims to ensure uniform regulations for all passenger transport vehicles, including conventional auto-rickshaws, taxis and electric rickshaws. The minister said the decision is intended to bring greater transparency in the passenger transport system and prevent irregularities.
Meanwhile, the Transport Department is preparing to introduce a “single-window system” to simplify the permit process. Under this system, application submission, document verification and approval procedures will be carried out at a single point to make the process more convenient.
Strict Rules to Prevent Misuse and Ensure Compliance
Sarnaik emphasized that permits will remain mandatory for all vehicles engaged in passenger transport to prevent misuse or irregularities. Under the new rules, e-rickshaws and e-bikes will also have to obtain permits before operating commercially.
The minister expressed confidence that the decision will bring greater discipline to the passenger transport sector, ensure compliance with regulations and help provide safer and more regulated services to commuters in the future.
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