Delhi wants Uber, Ola, Rapido bike taxis to go electric to avoid ban

Amid calls to ban bike taxis in Delhi, citing Motor Vehicles Act 1988, the state transport department wants aggregators like Ola, Uber and Rapido to convert their two-wheeler fleet to electric. The Delhi government proposes electric bike taxis as the solution to avoid penalties as it prepares an aggregator policy for cab operators in the national capital. Kailash Gahlot, Transport Minister of Delhi, has said that a comprehensive policy regarding two, three and four-wheeler taxis in the city is in its final stages and will be rolled out soon.

Earlier this week, the Delhi government warned bike taxi operators to stay off road or else face fines of up to ₹1 lakh in case found flouting the instruction. It launched a crackdown against two-wheelers with private registration marks being used for commercial purposes. A public notice issued by the Transport Department read, “It has been brought to the notice that two-wheelers having non-transport (private) registration mark/number are being used to carry passengers on hire or reward which is purely commercial operation and in violation of Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, and rules made thereunder."

The new aggregator policy, which is expected to be finalised soon, will propose electrification of two-wheeler fleet of cab operators. A senior official in Delhi's Transport Department was quoted by news agency PTI saying, "The aggregator policy, which is being finalised, plans to bring in norms to regularise these vehicles. The policy will make it mandatory for aggregators to on-board electric two-wheelers and encourage sustainable transportation, which is our focus."

The Transport Department in Delhi wants the cab aggregators to get police verification done for its drivers, apply for licence and permits and seek commercial registration of bikes. It also wants the two-wheelers to be equipped with GPS trackers to ensure passenger safety.

The crackdown on bike taxis, which started in Delhi earlier this week, saw 25 bike taxis challaned till Tuesday. In most cases, they were fined for not carrying valid Pollution Under Control Certificates (PUCC).