‘E-rickshaws are defective, new routes not profitable’

Noida: A group of e-rickshaw drivers who had bought the vehicles under the BMC scheme, flagged off by the Prime Minister in April, claimed that most of the vehicles are faulty and they are not earning enough from the venture.

Under the banner of ‘Noida Rickshaw and e-rickshaw Chalak Vikas Samiti’, the such drivers met SP leader Ashok Chauhan on Sunday to look into the matter.

“The battery of my e-rickshaw is not working properly for past four months. Three of the drivers have already returned their e-rickshaws. The BMC officials are not replacing the battery despite the fact that the servicing charges were included in the initial payment,” said e-rickshaw driver Arun Singh.

They further complained that the company is yet to setup a charging station. Moreover, the routes, allotted by the transport department, on which they ply are not profit-worthy.

“The company has changed its office thrice. We only have the insurance in the name of papers,” Singh added.

BMC managing director, Vijay Pandey, said the company has handed over around 800 e-rickshaws, out of which around 400 are registered.

“At the moment, the transport department has stopped registering new vehicles saying that drivers who have learning licenses will be given permits, the new ones won’t be registered. The e-rickshaw drivers, meanwhile, are not coming forward to acquire registration papers claiming that entire day gets wasted,” Pandey said.

Babu Pradhan, president of the e-rickshaw union said, “The authorities are planning to remove us from certain routes but what is our fault?”

Ashok Chauhan has promised to provide all help to the drivers.

On August 10, the district magistrate had held a meeting with the police, traffic police and transport department, it was decided that the Golf Course to New Ashok Nagar metro route would be made e-rickshaw free.