Delhi government on Saturday said that aggregators and delivery services in Delhi would need to ensure that 10 per cent of all new two-wheelers and 5 per cent of all new four-wheelers are electric in the next three months to combat air pollution. By March 2023, all aggregators and delivery services will have to ensure that 50 per cent of all new two-wheelers and 25 per cent of all new four-wheelers are electric, the govt said.
This step has been taken to combat Delhi's air pollution and achieve net carbon neutrality, making it the first state in India to adopt an aggregator policy to regulate vehicular emissions from the ride-hailing industry.
The Delhi government under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, notified a draft policy on Friday on the same.
The aggregators such as ride-hailing services as well as delivery service providers (such as food delivery, e-commerce logistics providers, couriers etc.) have altered the vehicular patterns in Delhi. Cabs have been the most popular model, followed by buses, bikes and auto rickshaws, which have gained matured ridership and continue expanding their businesses, Delhi government mentioned in a release.
Reena Gupta, advisor to Environment Minister Gopal Rai, mentioned while talking about the draft policy, "The essence of the proposed policy by the Delhi government is to ensure the entire spectrum of vehicles used by aggregators and delivery service providers are brought into the fold of a sustainable, clean and electric mobility, given the impact of large-scale adoption of clean vehicles and the serious concern over the air quality of Delhi."
Delhi government will also be making a representation to the Commission for Air Quality Management to direct other states in the NCR area to also adopt the policy.
The currently approved draft policy has now been put in the public domain, inviting suggestions and objections of the general public within a period of 60 days, post which it would be notified for implementation.
(IANS inputs)
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