7 months ago
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Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner H. V. Darshan connected October 30 announced that each electrical autorickshaws to beryllium registered from October 31 volition not beryllium permitted to ply successful Zone 1, that is Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) limits.
Issuing a notification nether Section 115 of the Indian Motor Vehicles Act that empowers the authorities of Karnataka to restrict usage of centrifugal vehicles successful specified areas, Mr. Darshan stated that capable fig of autorickshaws were disposable for the residents of Mangaluru city.
For the estimated colonisation of astir 6 lakh, Mangaluru metropolis has 10,500 autorickshaws — 6,949 LPG/CNG and 3,551 electrical —which are much than sufficient, helium said quoting reports from the constabulary and MCC. Proliferation of caller autorickshaws was besides causing postulation snarls successful galore parts of the city, peculiarly the cardinal concern district, helium said.
Following the August 10, 2023 judgement of High Court of Karnataka successful a writ petition challenging the DC’s January 23, 2023, restrictions connected electrical autorickshaws, the medication had connected July 26, 2024, allowed unrestricted cognition of electrical autorickshaws crossed Dakshina Kannada district.
The aforesaid was challenged earlier the High Court by accepted autorickshaw operators. On November 5, 2024, the tribunal had directed the DC to see their practice wrong 8 weeks.
The accepted operators had opposed introduction of electrical autorickshaws into MCC limits stating that their cognition without availing permits had denied a level-playing field.
Exemption
The medication had frozen the process of issuing caller autorickshaw permits for MCC limits connected July 1, 1997. However, erstwhile electrical autorickshaws were introduced, the Union Road Transport Ministry had successful July 2019 directed State Governments to exempt them from the requirements of rider licence to facilitate proliferation of non-polluting vehicles.
Return of licence raj
In the airy of accordant unit by accepted autorickshaw operators of Mangaluru, the Karnataka Transport Department connected July 1, 2025, withdrew the exemption for electrical autorickshaws from obtaining rider permit. The section besides said that each electrical autorickshaws — existing and caller — should get permits escaped of immoderate charge.
Using this information of availing permit, the DC issued the October 30 order, denying permits to newly-registered autorickshaws successful MCC limits.
Local conditions
Karnataka Transport Commissioner A. M. Yogeesh told The Hindu that DCs had inherent powers to restrict usage of centrifugal vehicles depending upon section conditions. Denying that licence exemption for electrical autorickshaws was withdrawn to facilitate their regulation, the Commissioner said, adjacent otherwise, a DC has the powerfulness to restrict question of peculiar categories of vehicles successful circumstantial locations.
