Delhi draft e-rickshaw policy proposes 2.5 lakh vehicle cap, ownership limits, stricter rules

The draft would make registration only one part of legal operation. Every e-rickshaw would need a valid E-Rickshaw Compliance Certificate, or ECC, linked to its registration, owner, driver and compliance documents. The proposal also sets ownership limits and introduces stronger oversight of larger fleets.

An individual owner would have to be a Delhi resident and could own no more than five e-rickshaws. Companies, firms, cooperatives and other permitted entities would face a separate ceiling of 100 vehicles. Any fleet with 25 or more vehicles would need an aggregator licence. Drivers would need a valid e-rickshaw licence and a Public Service Vehicle badge.

The government has opened the draft for public feedback for 30 days. Existing registered vehicles would receive a 90-day window to obtain ECCs. The rules would also cover insurance, fitness, batteries, parking, passenger limits and penalties for violations.

An E-Rickshaw Compliance Certificate, or ECC, would be the policy’s operating permission beyond ordinary registration. The draft states that no e-rickshaw could operate in Delhi unless it was registered under Section 39 of the Act and possessed a valid ECC. This creates a second compliance check for vehicles already registered.

The ECC would be linked digitally to the vehicle’s registration, owner, authorised driver and required documents. These documents would include a fitness certificate and insurance. The certificate would be valid for two years, but authorities could suspend or cancel it. A driver or driving licence could not be linked to multiple valid ECCs simultaneously.

The distinction matters because registration alone would no longer be enough to operate. Existing registered owners would have 90 days after notification to obtain ECCs, subject to any extension. The city would also stop issuing certificates once the proposed 2.5 lakh limit was reached.

The draft would limit Delhi’s city-wide fleet to 2,50,000 e-rickshaws or valid E-Rickshaw Compliance Certificates. No fresh registration or ECC would be issued beyond that number unless the government later revised the cap. The proposed limit responds to concerns about congestion, road safety, pollution and unregulated growth.

Ownership would also be spread across defined limits. An individual owner would have to be a Delhi resident and could own no more than five e-rickshaws. Companies, firms, cooperatives and other permitted entities would face a separate ceiling of 100 vehicles. Fleet operators with 25 or more vehicles would additionally need aggregator licences.

The cap would take effect after a 90-day regularisation window for existing vehicles. This means the final permitted fleet would be measured through vehicles holding valid ECCs, not simply through every e-rickshaw currently present. The government could revise the ceiling later.

During the proposed 90-day regularisation period, owners of existing registered e-rickshaws would have to apply for the required E-Rickshaw Compliance Certificate. The deadline would begin when the scheme is notified, and the draft allows it to be extended. Registration by itself would not satisfy the new operating requirement.

To obtain and keep an ECC, the vehicle would need relevant compliance documents, including a fitness certificate and insurance. It would also have to meet battery standards and other requirements under the scheme. The certificate would be linked to the vehicle, owner and authorised driver, and would remain valid for two years unless suspended or cancelled.

Drivers would need a valid e-rickshaw driving licence and a Public Service Vehicle badge. The draft also prevents one driver or driving licence from being linked to multiple valid ECCs at the same time. Vehicles that fail to regularise could not legally operate after the transition.

The draft proposes severe consequences for e-rickshaws operating without the required legal status. Vehicles without registration or the required compliance certification could be impounded by enforcement authorities. This would make compliance a condition for continued operation, rather than a minor paperwork issue.

For an e-rickshaw found operating without registration after the scheme is notified, the draft says it would be immediately impounded. It would not be released under any circumstances. The proposed process would then allow such vehicles to be crushed and auctioned under government guidelines.

The battery would face separate treatment. The draft states that the battery of an impounded unregistered e-rickshaw would not be released and would be auctioned. The article also describes stricter penalties for other violations, but it does not specify identical crushing rules for every ECC-related breach. The exact enforcement process would depend on the final scheme and guidelines.

Delhi’s government says limits are needed because e-rickshaws have grown excessively and without enough regulation. The draft specifically cites traffic congestion, road safety hazards, air pollution and noise pollution. These concerns explain both the proposed fleet cap and the additional compliance requirements.

The rules would limit the total number of e-rickshaws to 2.5 lakh with valid ECCs. They would also control parking, road restrictions, passenger numbers and vehicle equipment. E-rickshaws could carry up to four passengers, excluding the driver, and 40 kilograms of luggage. Standing passengers would not be allowed, and bull bars would be prohibited.

The policy also addresses environmental and safety risks through battery standards, authorised recycling, insurance, fitness documents, reflective markings and high-security plates. It does not claim that the rules will eliminate congestion or pollution. Instead, the proposals create tools to limit expansion and enforce safer, more accountable operation.

A vehicle cap controls scale. In Delhi’s proposal, no more than 2.5 lakh e-rickshaws with valid ECCs could operate unless the government revises the limit. This can help authorities respond to concerns about congestion, road safety, pollution and noise while keeping the service available within a defined size.

Ownership limits and permits control concentration and fleet activity. Individuals could own five vehicles, organisations 100, and fleets of 25 or more would need aggregator licences. The ECC then checks each vehicle’s registration, owner, driver, fitness certificate, insurance and other compliance details. Drivers would also need licences and PSV badges.

This system does not ban e-rickshaws. It sets conditions for operating them, including passenger limits, parking rules, battery standards and penalties. The article presents these as proposed rules, not final outcomes. Public feedback is invited for 30 days before the policy’s next stage.