New Delhi, February 9 The Delhi government is formulating a policy to regulate e-rickshaws in the city to address traffic congestion caused by these vehicles, while aiming to establish this mode of transport as an effective last-mile connectivity option, officials said on Monday.
A senior government official said that the need for a policy to regulate e-rickshaws was felt because they are not only a means of last-mile connectivity but also provide livelihoods for a large number of people.
"The issue was discussed informally in some meetings, and now the transport department is likely to hold a formal meeting to work out the modalities of the policy," he said.
Officials said that a wide range of issues, including the registration of e-rickshaws, related infrastructure such as charging facilities, designated routes and stands, and traffic management, would be discussed during the policy formulation.
Initially introduced as an eco-friendly transport option, e-rickshaws have increasingly become a problem on city roads due to slow movement, contributing to traffic congestion and safety concerns.
According to the Delhi government's official data, 204,131 e-rickshaws are registered on the Vahan dashboard as of January 2026. However, unofficial estimates suggest that the actual number is much higher.
As per the plan, the government is considering giving unregistered e-rickshaw owners time to register themselves so that their livelihoods are secure while also prioritizing road safety, officials added.
Last month, the Delhi High Court had sought a response from the Delhi government and traffic police on a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking to regulate e-rickshaws in the capital.
A bench of Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia was hearing the application filed by Manish Parashar, who lost his 8-year-old daughter in an accident last year while she was traveling to school on an e-rickshaw.
The court issued notice to the city government, its transport department, traffic police, and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, and asked the authorities to state the measures they had adopted.
According to the latest government data, the highest number of e-rickshaws are registered in Rohini (46,150), while the lowest number is recorded in IP Estate (94). Wazirpur has 30,252 registered e-rickshaws, while Janakpuri has 26,661 and Loni Road has 28,858.
The transport department issued a notification in 2014 regulating the movement of e-rickshaws. The notification lists 236 roads where e-rickshaws are prohibited from plying and parking.
