NEW DELHI: The humble electric rickshaw (e-rick) may be a boon for last-mile connectivity in Delhi, but not really trusted as a safe mode of public transport. The Centre plans to rectify that.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has set up a technical committee to propose standards and a ratings-based safety assessment system for the battery-operated rickshaws. It will be on the lines of Bharat NCAP (New Car Assessment Programme), country’s four-wheeler star rating system.
The idea is to encourage manufacturers to improve the manufacturing quality of these vehicles. At present, their chassis is made of mild steel, while the quality of the composite material and parts is inferior. So, the e-rickshaws suffer from safety issues.
On Tuesday, Minister Nitin Gadkari announced that the new safety system was on the anvil. “E-rickshaws have a big demand in African countries, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Major automobile makers are joining the e-rick market. Safety standards will improve their quality and create more employment,” said Gadkari.
Gadkari said the government’s plan to allow battery-operated vehicles was to prevent social and economic exploitation of two crore cycle rickshaw pullers after the three-wheel rickshaws became outdated.
The e-rickshaw was introduced in 2014 but without any safety standards in place. The price was within reach of people with poor financial means of the prospective drivers. The government permitted the production of e-ricks under the condition that components certified by the Indian Standards Institution were used.
According to industry sources, some of the manufacturers use low-quality imported parts to make or assemble cheaper e-rickshaws. At present, e-carts are also used to ferry goods.
Officials said the ministry would ensure that costs do not escalate because of the standards and rating programme. Gadkari added: “Because of poor quality, these e-ricks become useless in two years. Under the star rating system, people will only buy good-quality vehicles. The committee will fix standards for the rating.”
A report by the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy of 2022 said India had around 15 lakh e-rickshaws, and only 1.5 lakhs of them were registered. Another report from a market intelligence and advisory firm estimated the size of the Indian electric rickshaw industry to be $1.28 bn in 2025.
Setting quality standards
MoRTH committee to propose standards and ratings-based safety assessment system for the battery-operated rickshaws
E-rickshaw was introduced in 2014 without any safety standards in place
Manufacturers use low-quality imported parts to make or assemble cheaper e-rickshaws
“Because of poor quality, these e-ricks become useless in two years. Under the star rating system, people will only buy good-quality vehicles.”
Around 15 lakh e-rickshaws, however, only 1.5 lakhs of them were registered
Estimates suggest the size of the Indian e-rickshaw market would be $1.28 billion in 2025