New Delhi: Delhi govt has withdrawn its earlier circular that allowed firms to register multiple e-carts and e-rickshaws—limited to lithium-ion battery models—in their names, officials said on Wednesday.A senior official said the revised decision aims to ensure that the benefits of e-rickshaw registration are distributed more widely among Delhi’s residents, rather than being concentrated with a few corporate entities.Transport minister Pankaj Singh said the move was intended to promote self-employment and protect economically weaker sections involved in last-mile connectivity. “By preventing the concentration of ownership in the hands of a few companies, the govt aims to reduce exploitation and strengthen the livelihood base of individual drivers, who form the backbone of the city’s last-mile transport system,” Singh said.Officials said the decision would create greater economic opportunities for owner-drivers, reduce the risk of monopolistic control in the e-rickshaw sector and reinforce self-reliant employment models. The move is expected to help thousands of individual operators retain their independence and earn a dignified livelihood, rather than being reduced to employees of large fleet owners.“This decision reinforces our commitment to equitable livelihood opportunities,” Singh said. “By putting the vehicle back in the hands of the individual driver, we are strengthening self-employment and safeguarding the backbone of Delhi’s last-mile connectivity,” said an official.
