13/3/2018
PUNE: With the
battery-operated e-rickshaw project failing to garner adequate interest in Pune,
even almost a year after the plan was announced, the regional transport office (RTO)
has now decided to intervene.
The RTO plans to hold talks with the Pune Municipal
Corporation (PMC) for the development of basic infrastructure for these
vehicles. “The response has been very poor. While we still believe that the
manufacturers should be responsible to ensure sales of their vehicles, we can
initiate talks with the civic body for some basic infrastructure,” an official
said.
The Pune RTO had first come up with the plan in July
2017, and in August, the authorities had finalized 14 routes on which these
vehicles could ply. “The Centre has been talking about promoting e-vehicles,
but the fact is, we have seen negligible registrations in the city. One of the
basic issues is the lack of charging points. Without charge, these vehicles can
suddenly stop,” another official said.
The manufacturers, meanwhile, said some concrete steps needed
to be taken. “The routes that have been approved are very short stretches and
people who want to buy these vehicles do not see much profit. Instead of
approving the routes, the RTO should have come up with a list of routes in
which e-rickshaws shouldn’t be allowed,” said a business development
manager of an e-rickshaw manufacturer.
0 comments:
Post a Comment