Bill to legalize e-rickshaws passed in Lok Sabha

New Delhi, Dec 18: The Lok Sabha Thursday passed a bill to legalize e-rickshaws by bringing them under the ambit of the Motor Vehicles Act. The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2014 also provides for the central government to make rules on the specifications for e-carts and e-rickshaws and the manner and conditions for issuing driving licenses. Replying to the debate on the bill, Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari said the passage of the bill will ensure protection of the environment as well as provide employment to the poor people. "There are nearly one crore people in the country who pull rickshaws and carts. We should free them from manual labour and help them convert to e-rickshaws and carts," he said. The bill also relaxes the rules for issuing driving licenses for those driving e-rickshaws. The bill also envisages that the vehicles would be owned by the driver and cannot be rented out.