The temporary ban on plying of e-rickshaws in the Capital will continue for a few more days as the Delhi High Court on Tuesday refused to withdraw the stay on its operation unless regulatory norms are put in place.
In a review petition, the Battery Rickshaw Welfare Association urged the Court to revoke the stay as the livelihood of 50,000-odd e-rickshaw operators had been affected.
However, the Division Bench refused to change its stand to ensure the vehicles do not run in an errant manner in the Capital.
Loss of livelihoodCounsel for the Centre and the Delhi governments also urged the Court to withdraw the stay keeping in view the loss of livelihood of the operators.
However, the Court refused to buy the argument observing that it will not allow chaos on city roads by allowing vehicles to operate unregulated.
The Court fixed August 8 for further hearing of the association’s review petition when the Centre informed it that it will frame guidelines and that till they were replaced by amendments to the Motor Vehicles Act, e-rickshaws be allowed to ply under the supervision of the civic agencies and the Delhi Police.
The Court had on July 31 ordered a ban on plying of the vehicles, taking note of an e-rickshaw hitting a woman, which resulted in her two-year-old son falling from her hands into a pan of hot oil.
The Delhi Government has already informed the Court that the operation of e-rickshaws is “wholly unauthorised and illegal” under the law and their presence on city roads pose a danger to public safety.
