Delhi EV Policy 2.0 to be announced soon, recommends phasing out of CNG-driven autorickshaws

Delhi EV Policy 2.0 is expected to be announced soon by the Delhi government, which will replace the existing EV policy. The Delhi EV Policy 2.0 aims to expedite the electric vehicle adoption in the national capital, for which several measures have been proposed in the new policy. The new EV policy aims to phase out the CNG-powered autorickshaws, which are one of the key parts of the city's public commuting mediums.

News agency PTI has quoted a Delhi government official saying that the move has been recommended in the new EV policy. He reportedly stated that as per the draft EV Policy 2.0, no CNG autorickshaw registration will be allowed from August 15 this year. Also, the CNG autorickshaw permits will not be renewed from August 15 this year and all such permits will be substituted or re-issued with only electric autorickshaw permits. The draft of Delhi EV Policy 2.0 also recommends phasing out fossil fuel-driven vehicles carrying solid waste deployed in large numbers by the civic bodies and city buses, the report stated.

According to the draft of the Delhi EV Policy 2.0, all the CNG-powered autorickshaws more than 10 years old will be mandatorily replaced or retrofitted to be run on batteries during the policy period. The draft policy also states that two-wheelers running on fossil fuel will not be allowed from 15 August 2026. Similarly, the policy recommends that no diesel, petrol, or CNG-powered three-wheeler registration will be allowed in case of goods carriers, from August 15, 2025.

The draft Delhi EV Policy 2.0 also mandates that all garbage collection vehicles leased and owned by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, New Delhi Municipal Council and Delhi Jal Board have to be transitioned to electric vehicles in a phased manner and achieve 100 per cent electric fleet by December 31, 2027.

It also recommends that public transport buses operated by the DRC and DIMTS have to be converted into electric buses. The DTC and DIMTS will procure only electric buses for intra-city operations and BS6 for inter-state service at the beginning of the policy.

The draft policy may undergo changes during approval of the cabinet, particularly in the recommendation related to two-wheelers, the report stated. The Delhi government extended its current EV policy by 15 days following its expiration on March 31 this year. The new policy will be notified after its approval by the Delhi Cabinet.

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