Mangaluru: After the Karnataka govt decided to issue permits for electric, methanol, and ethanol-based autorickshaws, the Road Transport Authority (RTA) is set to lay conditions, including assigning rural or urban zones for the vehicles. The govt has withdrawn its relaxation from the permit rules for electric, methanol, and ethanol-based autorickshaws. Accordingly, permits will be issued to all such autorickshaws without collecting any fee.Earlier, electric, methanol, and ethanol-based autorickshaws were exempt from the permit rules and were allowed to operate across the district. With the permit rule back, the RTA is also considering zoning regulations for rural and urban autorickshaws.RTO Sridhar K Mallad said that a meeting of the RTA scheduled for Aug 18 will discuss the issue. “A final decision will be taken at the RTA meeting to be chaired by the deputy commissioner. The conditions to be laid to issue permits for electric, methanol, and ethanol-based autorickshaws will also be taken during the meeting. We are planning to implement the zones for autorickshaws, which existed earlier, and this will also be discussed in the meeting,” he said.A Transport Adalat will be held on Aug 11, where major issues pertaining to the department will be discussed, and the agenda will be placed before the RTA meeting on Aug 18. There are more than 2,700 e-autorickshaws in the district, he added.It may be recalled that various unions of autorickshaw drivers and people’s representatives opposed the permit relaxation allowed only for electric, methanol, and ethanol-based autorickshaws. Following this, the state govt agreed to the demand of autorickshaw drivers to require e-autorickshaws to obtain permits, just like other autorickshaws. The state govt issued an order in July to revoke the central govt’s directive and mandate that all vehicles using methanol and ethanol must obtain permits under the Motor Vehicles Act. The govt has also decided to grant these permits without any fees.
