NEW DELHI: For thousands of auto-rickshaw drivers, the city’s new electric vehicle (EV) policy is not just about cleaner mobility; it could mean spending nearly Rs 80,000 more to purchase a vehicle, while navigating an ecosystem that many believe is not yet ready.
With a CNG auto currently costing around Rs 2.70 lakh and electric autos priced between Rs 3.24 lakh and Rs 3.50 lakh depending on the brand, transport unions fear the financial burden will fall squarely on drivers already operating on thin margins.
Rajinder Soni, general secretary of the Delhi Auto Rickshaw Sangh, said the government should first ensure adequate infrastructure before implementing such a policy.
“We have written to the government to urge the Supreme Court to get 50,000 more permits because currently SC has limited it to 1 lakh only. It will be a burden on the autowalas. The government is directly trying to mark them as poor.
We don’t even have adequate charging stations in the capital. In 1998, when a policy of CNG autos was framed, major chaos was witnessed as people struggled and fought to get CNG at stations; hopefully, similar situations will not be repeated at the charging stations.”
Worker organisations also questioned the economic impact of the transition, particularly on gig workers and those dependent on petrol or CNG vehicles for their livelihoods.
National coordinator of the Gig and Platform Service Workers Union (GIPSWU), Nirmal Gorana, said, “The government is unpredictable and takes certain decisions without taking the poor people into consideration.
When the government is asking the people to shift to electric bikes and autos, do they also specify how much costlier these electric bikes and autos will be as compared to the ones run on petrol or CNG? What will happen to those driving the petrol bikes? Is the government aware how an average person saves money just to buy his own bike? Think about the gig workers who will be severely impacted.”
The policy, however, has found strong backing from the government, with ministers describing it as a major step towards cleaner transportation. Delhi transport minister Pankaj Singh said, “We emphasised that people should benefit; we are giving discounts, and the government is committed to assisting people if they want to have an electric vehicle...”
Congress, while supporting measures to curb pollution, questioned whether the policy addresses broader environmental challenges. Meanwhile, AAP accused BJP of repackaging an existing policy rather than introducing a new framework.