Owners of green fuel rent vehicles cannot be denied licences under Rent A Cab scheme

NEW DELHI: State transport department officials cannot deny licences to owners of cabs and bikes running on electricity, ethanol and ethanol under the ‘Rent a Cab’ and ‘Rent a Motorcycle’ schemes, even if they do not have permits, according to a notification issued by the transport ministry.
The road transport ministry has exempted the permit condition for these vehicles as these run on green fuel. It issued the notification after receiving complaints that state transport departments were not giving licences to such operators for their electric and ethanol vehicles.
"Earlier we had exempted all electric, ethanol and methanol fuelled vehicles from permit regime. So, all such cabs and motor cycles attached to the operators under Rent a Cab and Rent a Motor Cycle schemes should have been eligible to get the licence. But they were facing problems when they applied for licences," said a ministry official.
He added that to end this ambiguity, the ministry has amended both the schemes making it clear that cabs and motor cycles operating on battery, ethanol and methanol must be issued licence without seeking permit as these have been put under the exempt category.
These two schemes are primarily aimed at promoting tourism. Increased availability of electric vehicles for tourists under this scheme will result in reduction in rentals, sources said.