Delhi gets first electric rural service vehicle under Green Mobility Campaign, know details

To promote environmentally friendly transport, the very first electric rural service bus has now officially been registered in Delhi. This bus is specially made to provide last-mile connectivity. This bus has six passengers plus one driver capacity.

Gramin Seva, introduced during the year 2011, is one paratransit mode consisting of high-density three-wheelers serving rural localities, unauthorized resettlement colonies, and JJ (slum) clusters. These make a substantial contribution where the infrastructure for transport is very weak.

The Delhi Government has directed all the rural service cars run by CNG under the 2010-11 scheme to be replaced by their electric counterparts. This has been done to curb pollution and boost clean transport.

Chandu Chaurasia, President of Delhi Gramin Seva Sangh, expressed happiness over this important step and said, "It is a matter of happiness for us that the first electric Gramin Seva vehicle has been registered in Delhi. We congratulate the Transport Department, the government, and the new administrative team, which aims to bring about a change in 100 days. We hope that the government will also provide subsidies and discounts to support this change."

The Transport Department issued a directive in September, making it clear that old vehicles will be replaced only with electric vehicles. They should have a seating capacity of a maximum of six passengers and a driver. These vehicles will have to get approval as per the standards set by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH).

Officials estimate that earlier about 6,000 Gramin Seva auto-rickshaws were registered, but now only 2,000 to 3,000 of these are operational. Registered owners who want to replace their old vehicles will have to apply through an online, Aadhaar-based process or use the Encroachment ID (EID) if Aadhaar is not available.

Also, a “no dues” certificate will have to be obtained within seven days to ensure there are no outstanding taxes, challans, or legal issues.

Now that the first electric Gramin Sewa vehicle has started plying on Delhi roads, all stakeholders are hoping that the government’s incentives and infrastructural improvements will speed up the transition.