Mumbai, March 9 The Maharashtra government has suspended the issuance of new auto rickshaw permits from Monday, in an effort to curb rising traffic congestion and urban pollution, state transport minister Pratap Sarnaik said.
A statement from his office said the suspension will remain in effect until the state cabinet makes a decision on the criteria for granting new auto rickshaw permits.
The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MORTH) has advised the Maharashtra government to make a decision on auto rickshaw permits based on local conditions in cities with a population of more than five lakh, Sarnaik said.
"The government will soon consider policy decisions to provide better and more efficient transport facilities to citizens," he added.
In June 2017, the state government had lifted a 1997 freeze on issuing new auto rickshaw permits.
Under the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act 2019, state governments have been given powers to regulate transport systems as per their requirements, Sarnaik said.
Section 67(3) of the Motor Vehicles Act 1988 empowers state governments to modify passenger and goods transport permits and implement schemes to improve last-mile connectivity and reduce traffic congestion, Sarnaik said in the statement.
"Complaints have been received that in some cases, multiple auto rickshaw permits were issued to members of the same household, while some permits were allegedly obtained illegally by Bangladeshi nationals. Around 14 lakh auto rickshaw permits have been issued across the state so far," the minister informed.
According to the economic survey for 2025-26, the state had 12.96 lakh auto rickshaws at the end of January 1 this year.