Taking serious note of the non-availability of recharging stations for e-rickshaws in the Capital, a Delhi court has directed the Delhi Chief Secretary to find a solution to it to prevent alleged power theft.
The court has also asked the Chief Secretary to file a detailed report on it.
“It is felt that people are being forced to commit theft of electricity due to the non-availability of recharging stations. Charging of e-rickshaws by stealing electricity or re-charging batteries from domestic connections is not justifiable,’’ Additional Sessions Judge Swarna Kanta Sharma said while passing the direction.
Counsel for the Chief Secretary submitted that policy formation for setting up recharging stations would take time as several departments—Union Ministry for Urban Development, DDA, NDMC, MCDs and the power distribution companies—were required to be consulted.
Previous cases
The court had earlier noted that there were innumerable cases pending before it where it had been found that illegal charging of e-rickshaw batteries was going on in Delhi.
Issuing permits to ply e-rickshaws without facilities for recharging or parking to make them disciplined was creating problems, the court said.
The court passed the direction in an electricity theft case in which an e-rickshaw owner was held guilty of power theft in 2014.
The matter will now come up for hearing on May 25.