Delhi Plans 2.5 Lakh Cap on E-Rickshaws — Draft Scheme Open for Public Comment

Delhi Moves to Regulate Its E-Rickshaw Fleet

The Delhi government has proposed capping the number of e-rickshaws in the capital at 2.5 lakh, under a draft scheme released on 18 October and uploaded to the Transport Department's website for public feedback. The government cites traffic congestion, road safety, pollution and the sheer proliferation of such vehicles as reasons for the move. The public has 30 days to submit suggestions before the scheme is finalised.

The draft, formally the Delhi E-Rickshaw (Registration and Operation) Scheme, 2026, seeks to bring every e-rickshaw under a formal and verifiable registration and fitness framework. Once the fleet hits the 2.5 lakh ceiling, no further registrations or E-Rickshaw Compliance Certificates will be issued unless the government revises the cap.

What the Draft Proposes

The scheme makes an E-Rickshaw Compliance Certificate, or ECC, mandatory for every e-rickshaw. Issued digitally by the Transport Department, the certificate would confirm that the vehicle, its registered owner and its driver all meet requirements on registration, fitness, battery compliance and eligibility. Drivers would also need a driving licence and a Public Service Vehicle badge.

Provision	What the draft says
City-wide cap	2.5 lakh e-rickshaws, no new registrations beyond it
Individual ownership	Maximum five e-rickshaws per Delhi resident
Entity ownership	Companies, firms, NGOs and cooperatives capped at 100 each
Aggregator rule	Anyone owning more than 25 e-rickshaws must hold an aggregator licence
Charging duty	Aggregators must ensure adequate charging or battery-swapping arrangements

The ownership limits are aimed at curbing the fleet-owner model in which a single operator runs dozens of e-rickshaws through drivers on daily rentals. Organisations owning more than 25 e-rickshaws would be classified as aggregators and required to obtain a licence, and to make sure their vehicles can charge or swap batteries reliably.

What It Means for You

For Delhi commuters, the scheme could mean fewer but better-regulated e-rickshaws over time — safer vehicles and licensed drivers, though a tighter supply could also change fares in some corridors. For drivers and small owners, the near-term impact will hinge on how strictly the cap is enforced and how smoothly the ECC process is run. If you operate or plan to buy an e-rickshaw in the capital, the 30-day feedback window is your chance to weigh in. Track how the policy develops on our policy news page and browse related coverage in All Articles.

(Sources: Delhi Transport Department draft Delhi E-Rickshaw (Registration and Operation) Scheme, 2026; The Hindu, 18 October 2026. Images: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 and CC BY 3.0.)

::KEY_NUMBERS:: Proposed city cap | 2.5 lakh e-rickshaws Individual ownership limit | 5 Entity ownership limit | 100 Aggregator threshold | 25 e-rickshaws ::TLDR:: Delhi has floated a draft scheme to cap e-rickshaws at 2.5 lakh Every e-rickshaw will need an E-Rickshaw Compliance Certificate Individuals may own up to five, entities up to 100 The public has 30 days to send feedback ::CHART:: type: bar title: Delhi draft e-rickshaw ownership limits (units) labels: Individual,Entity,Aggregator trigger values: 5,100,25 source: Delhi E-Rickshaw Scheme 2026 draft ::TIMELINE:: 2012 | e-rickshaw programme launched in Delhi 2024-25 | rapid growth prompts congestion concerns October 2026 | draft cap scheme released for feedback ::GLOSSARY:: ECC | E-Rickshaw Compliance Certificate, a digital certificate confirming a vehicle and driver meet the scheme's rules PSV badge | Public Service Vehicle badge, a permit to drive a vehicle used to carry passengers for hire ::PULLQUOTE:: A vehicle that gave lakhs of drivers a livelihood is now being asked to prove, on paper, that it belongs on the road. ::PROS:: Brings e-rickshaws under a verifiable fitness framework Mandatory licence and PSV badge for drivers Requires aggregators to arrange charging or swapping ::CONS:: A hard cap could freeze new livelihoods Compliance paperwork may burden small owners Enforcing the limit will be the hard part ::POLL:: Is a 2.5 lakh cap on Delhi e-rickshaws the right move? || Yes, congestion needs a ceiling || No, it hurts drivers' livelihoods || Only if public transport improves first ::SOURCES:: Delhi Transport Department draft scheme, The Hindu