Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2015

Lok Sabha unanimously passed the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2015 to amend Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, to help e-rickshaw ply in Delhi.

 Here are key highlights below:

• Date of passing: 3^rd March 2015 by voice note.
• The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2015 introduced by Minister of State for Road Transport.
• This bill seeks to amend the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988 and replace the ordinance promulgated in this regard in January.
• The bill defines e-rickshaw and e-carts as special purpose battery powered vehicles with power up to 4000 watts.
• If the bill will passes at Rajya Sabha, it will going to benefit 1 lakh e- rickshaw owners and drivers in the capital. Road transport Minister Nitish Gadkari said while ensuring the livelihood of one lakh e-rickshaw drivers, government will not compromise with the safety.
• The driver of the vehicle will be owner and no one else will get the license.
• An earlier Bill to regularize e-rickshaws was passed by the Lok Sabha in the Winter Session but as it was stuck in the Rajya Sabha, the government issued the ordinance. The earlier bill was withdrawn.
• The new rules provide that e-rickshaw will be allowed to carry four passengers and 40 kg luggage while e-carts would transport goods up to 310 kg.
• The bill empowers Union Government to make the rules specifications, conditions and manner for issuing driving license.

Penned by Prerika Gupta