NEW DELHI
The Delhi government led by Arvind Kejriwal had given the green light to the Delhi Motor Vehicle Aggregator and Delivery Service Provider Scheme, which legalises bike taxis and outlines comprehensive regulation and licencing of app-based aggregators and delivery service providers.
An official said that since CM Arvind Kejriwal has given his approval to the policy, it has now been sent to Delhi’s LG V.K. Saxena for final clearance and aims to promote green and sustainable mobility in the city, while also enhancing the quality of transportation services as well as the safety of commuters.
Once notified, the scheme mandates that all existing or new operators obtain a licence within 90 days of notification or before commencing operations. Licences will be valid for five years, with annual fees applicable and zero fees in the case of electric vehicles. A 50% rebate is also provided for vehicles that are less than two years old.
According to the policy, bike taxis have to be completely electric, with the policy curtailing the presence of petrol or diesel-fuelled bikes. Apart from this, the government has also set timelines for other modes of vehicles—both passenger service providers and delivery service providers—to convert to electric.
However, the policy does not mention anything about surge pricing.
A source in the government, aware of the policy, said, “Aggregators will have to follow the price set by the government for taxis in Delhi.” He added, “The scheme is stringent in enforcing compliance, with violations attracting monetary penalties ranging from Rs 5,000 up to Rs 1,00,000 per instance,” an official said. Kejriwal had said, “The scheme marks a significant milestone in Delhi’s fight against pollution. Delhi has become the first state/UT in India, and among very few cities globally, to mandate a time-bound transition of the commercial vehicle fleet of aggregators, delivery service