Govt proposes cap of 2.5 lakh e-rickshaws under draft scheme

New Delhi: The Delhi government has proposed capping the number of e-rickshaws in the national capital at 2.5 lakh under a draft scheme released on Sunday, citing concerns over traffic congestion, road safety and pollution.

The Delhi E-Rickshaw (Registration and Operation) Scheme, 2026, is open for public feedback and suggestions for 30 days before finalization.

“Having regard to the serious concerns relating to traffic congestion, road safety hazards, air and noise pollution, and the excessive and unregulated proliferation of e-rickshaws, the Government of NCT of Delhi hereby fixes a city-wide fleet cap of 2,50,000 e-rickshaws,” the draft states.

“No registration shall be issued beyond this limit, except where the cap is revised,” it adds.

The draft defines an e-rickshaw as a battery-operated three-wheeler with seating for not more than four passengers, excluding the driver, a luggage capacity of 40 kg, a net power output of not more than 2,000 watts and a maximum speed of 25 kmph.

Under the proposed scheme, no e-rickshaw will be allowed to operate unless registered as a transport vehicle and issued a valid E-Rickshaw Compliance Certificate (ECC).

The ECC will be issued digitally and remain valid for two years. It will contain registration certificate details, owner and driver information, including driving licence and public service vehicle (PSV) badge details, battery compliance status, and the validity of fitness and insurance documents, according to the draft. Each ECC will link one e-rickshaw to one driver.

The draft proposes a limit of five e-rickshaws for individual owners who reside in Delhi. Companies, firms, NGOs, cooperative societies and driving schools will be allowed to own up to 100 e-rickshaws.