Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta held a meeting with automobile manufacturers and aggregator companies such as Ola and Uber and suggested that they operate shuttle services on Ring Road, said an official statement.
The aggregator companies agreed to operate shared taxis and stated that within one month they would begin services for shared taxis and taxis driven by women drivers, it said.
They also said that they are ready to onboard private EVs and BS-VI vehicles as taxis, but this would require changes in existing rules.
Gupta assured them that such changes would be made in the coming days, while stressing that passenger safety measures must be strictly ensured by the companies. The companies agreed to this.
She also asked them to explore the possibility of integrating e-rickshaws into their platforms and suggested that companies consider operating shuttle services on the Ring Road and to and from the airport.
She assured full government support for these initiatives and suggested that companies may initially implement pilot projects to assess their feasibility and utility.
The objective of the meeting was to encourage greater public adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in the capital and to promote shared mobility.
The government has agreed in principle to allow privately owned EVs to operate as shared taxis, said the official statement.
Gupta said that to realise this objective, the government would amend the relevant rules and develop an effective mechanism to address the concerns of the companies.
She emphasised that effective and sustainable control of pollution in Delhi is possible only by reducing the number of vehicles on the roads.
She said only if transport-related companies actively support the government’s mission, can the capital quickly transform into ‘Viksit Delhi’.
There were representatives from automobile manufacturers including Tata Motors, Mahindra, Maruti Suzuki, Toyota, and Honda, as well as representatives of aggregator companies Ola, Uber, and Rapido during the meeting.
Addressing the meeting, Gupta said the government is, in principle, willing to provide facilitation to companies, resolve their issues and introduce flexibility in rules, so that people are encouraged to purchase EVs and use aggregator services for commuting.
However, she added that these companies must also take decisions and provide concessions that increase public inclination towards their services.
During the meeting, vehicle manufacturers informed her that complete control over pollution would require full-scale deployment of electric vehicles and the introduction of a people-centric EV policy.
They expressed expectations of certain concessions to strengthen infrastructure in the capital, including the establishment of charging stations, stating that these measures would accelerate EV adoption.
The chief minister said the government is prepared to provide land for setting up charging stations, but companies must also explore the possibility of charging vehicles through solar energy. She emphasised that companies themselves would have to manage battery waste, so that another source of pollution does not arise.
She reiterated that while the government is ready, in principle, to extend concessions, companies must also provide benefits to vehicle buyers to increase public interest in EVs.
Guptaasked the companies to submit a plan outlining the timeline within which they would be able to meet demand-based supply of electric vehicles across Delhi. She also stated that vehicle pricing should be structured in a manner that attracts consumers.
She said the transport sector has been a major contributor to pollution in Delhi, and therefore the government is promoting electric vehicles, shared mobility, e-rickshaws, shuttle services and women-friendly taxi models.
She emphasised that providing affordable, safe and environmentally friendly transport facilities to the public will remain a top priority.
