Govt orders shift to electric vehicles for Gramin Sewa

Aiming to promote cleaner transportation, the Delhi government has announced that all CNGpowered Gramin Sewa vehicles registered under the 2010-11 scheme must be replaced with electric vehicles.

Launched in 2011, Gramin Sewa is a para-transit scheme under which high-capacity three-wheelers with a seating capacity of six passengers were given permits to ply in rural areas, unauthorised resettlement colonies, and JJ (jhuggi-jhopri) clusters of Delhi.

"It is ordered that the replacement of the existing Gramin Sewa vehicles shall be by electric vehicles, with a maximum seating capacity of six passengers plus a driver, duly approved by MORTH's (Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways) authorised testing agency," a transport department order issued on Wednesday said.

Kailash Gahlot, the transport minister in the outgoing Council of Ministers, said, "The Delhi government is committed to making the city's public transportation system more sustainable and environmentally friendly."