New Delhi: Seeking to regulate the city’s rapidly expanding e-rickshaw sector, Delhi govt is planning to draft a policy that will put a “reasoned and evidence-based cap” on the number of these vehicles, restrict registration to owner-drivers and bring all operational compliances under a unified digital system.Chief minister Rekha Gupta has directed the transport department to work on the policy and prepare it at the earliest, said sources. The move comes amid growing concerns over unchecked growth of the sector, traffic congestion, road safety and illegal operations across the city.“Delhi has a large number of e-rickshaws. Our objective is to regulate them in a manner that benefits both commuters and e-rickshaw drivers,” said Gupta. “The new policy will protect the livelihoods of genuine owner-drivers while ensuring public safety, transparent regulation and responsible operations,” CM emphasised, adding that it will help reduce congestion, improve road discipline and public convenience, and create a safer, more efficient and sustainable urban mobility system for Delhi.Govt data shows Delhi currently has more than two lakh registered e-rickshaws, besides thousands of unregistered ones operating across the city. Over the years, e-rickshaws have become a medium of last-mile connectivity, though the distribution of the fleet is highly uneven across the districts.Govt feels that an evidence-based cap on the number of e-rickshaws will help maintain a balance between mobility needs, road safety and public convenience, while also contributing to reduced congestion on roads, said sources.Officials said the ceiling would be determined after assessing mobility demand, traffic conditions and road capacity, with the objective of balancing last-mile connectivity with public convenience and road safety. The policy will also review routes where e-rickshaws are currently prohibited and rationalise restrictions to improve connectivity without compromising traffic discipline.An official said the interests of working drivers would be safeguarded. “All existing registered e-rickshaws will be provided with a sufficient transition period to comply with the new requirements to ensure a smooth shift without disrupting ongoing operations and livelihoods,” he said.Another key feature will be the introduction of a unified digital compliance mechanism, which will integrate registration, fitness, insurance, battery compliance and driver eligibility into a single authorisation, thereby simplifying procedures and enhancing transparency.While e-rickshaws have emerged as an affordable transport option, their unregulated proliferation has increasingly raised concerns over congestion, road safety and fire hazards. Residents’ groups have repeatedly complained of illegal parking, traffic bottlenecks and reckless driving, including instances of underage drivers. Frequent overloading, traffic violations and the absence of designated stands and charging infrastructure have also been flagged.
