Delhi govt to give permits to 3,000 more auto-rickshaws

New Delhi: Delhi Government today decided to give permits for a fresh batch of 3,000 auto-rickshaws, which will take the number of new three-wheelers in the city to 45,000.

Transport Minister Shri Ramakant Goswami said the government decided to increase the number of auto-rickshaw as commuters in several areas have been experiencing shortage of three-wheelers. "The Transport department has received representations from commuters to grant more permits to auto-rickshaws," he said. Goswami said the Supreme Court had allowed the government to grant 45,000 permits out of which 3,000 permits are yet to be given. "The permits would be exclusively given to those who have already bought the vehicle but yet to get registration," he said. The Supreme Court in November 2011 had paved the way for plying of one lakh new auto-rickshaws, giving its verdict on an application moved by Delhi Transport Authority in 2002 for lifting a freeze imposed by the apex court in its earlier direction of December 16, 1997. In 1997, the apex court had directed that there shall be no fresh registration of auto-rickshaws as they were running on two or four stroke petrol engines contributing to the severe pollution in Delhi. It had, however, permitted that existing autos be replaced by new ones. Subsequently, the autos were converted into single-fuel CNG-propelled vehicles but the restriction on the fresh registration resulted in malpractices by the auto-owners and drivers. PTI