The streets of the holy city of Amritsar will exclusively witness the operation of e-rickshaws from September, this year as the government has implemented the Rahi Yojana under the Amritsar Smart City project. This initiative aims to promote e-rickshaws and to make the city pollution-free.
Commissioner of Amritsar Municipal Commissioner (AMC) Sandeep Rishi said on Friday that presently, thousands of diesel auto-rickshaws were running in Amritsar city, which contributes to the noise and air pollution leading to a major cause of concern for transportation and environmental issues.
He said that under this initiative, individuals adopting e-rickshaws in place of old diesel autos were provided a subsidy of INR 1.40 lakh. Additionally, the convenience of “zero down payment” had been offered in bank loans as well.
Rishi said that from July 12 to 21, registration camps had been set up near the Ranjit Avenue Office of the Municipal Corporation and Guru Nanak Bhavan to create a database and determine the number of diesel autos operating in the city.
“The drivers of old diesel autos are registering themselves with their documents at the camp, and it has received a good response”, he claimed.
The holy city of Amritsar is renowned worldwide for its religious, historical, and commercial significance, making it a hub for millions of devotees who pay obeisance at the Golden Temple, Durgiana Temple, Ram Teerath temple as well as traders every day. Moreover, a large number of people use Amritsar’s international airports and the majority of people visiting Amritsar make sure to visit Attari international border to witness the adrenaline-rushing border retreat ceremony
AMC Commissioner Sandeep Rishi said that the registration camps for e-rickshaws would be operational continuously from Saturday to Sunday, starting from 9 am to 5 pm. He also appealed to the diesel auto drivers to attend these camps established by the government and complete their registration process while advising them to affix the stickers by 31st August 2023 to avoid any police action.
Clarifying about the stickers, he said that the purpose of affixing the sticker was not just about having the sticker itself, but its main objective was to submit the required documents for purchasing e-rickshaws from designated companies under the Smart City project and completing the entire process by August 31.
He said from September 1, only “Raahi e-rickshaws” would be allowed to operate on all major roads in the city.
