A total of 178 e-rickshaws have been officially registered in the city of Pune, along with an additional 35 in the neighboring Pimpri Chinchwad. The expansion plans for the Pune Metro system present a strategic avenue for the Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) in both cities to promote the utilization of these e-rickshaws as a means of last-mile connectivity.
Hemant Sonavane, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) representing the Pune Metro, conveyed the organization’s openness towards adopting e-rickshaws as a viable mode of transport. However, he noted that the requisite authorization from the RTOs is imperative for the operation of these vehicles within the city confines.
The adoption of smaller-scale e-rickshaws in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad began in 2018, with designated routes allocated for their operation primarily in peripheral areas. Nevertheless, due to opposition from auto-rickshaw unions, these e-rickshaws encountered restrictions on their operational freedom, leading to a substantial decline in their registrations.
Two distinct variants of e-rickshaws have been identified: the L5M model, which operates on electric power, and a compact version. These vehicles demonstrate relatively lower speeds. The L5M model holds the potential to function as a Metro feeder service without necessitating explicit permission.
In contrast, the smaller version requires explicit endorsements from both the traffic police and the regional transport authority for its operational legitimacy.
Sanjiv Bhor, Deputy Regional Transport Officer (RTO) for Pune, emphasized the differences in the e-rickshaw categories. He outlined that while the L5M model can seamlessly serve as a Metro feeder service without additional permissions, the smaller variant necessitates approvals from both the traffic police and the regional transport authority. Further insight was provided by DCP (Traffic) Vijaykumar Magar, suggesting that the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) holds the prerogative to grant the essential permissions to the smaller e-rickshaws for their operation.
