The Delhi government's Transport Department has extended the deadline for female applicants to apply for electric auto-rickshaw licences to next Wednesday.
The Transport Department recently held a lottery for the distribution of 4,261 electric vehicles. Around 2,855 males and 743 females were issued the permits through a computerised randomization process.
Out of the total permits, nearly a third (1,406) were set aside for women. The Department of Transportation received a total of 20,589 applications, with 19,846 male applicants.
Women candidates can apply for the remaining 663 permits through a link on the department's website until February 23, according to officials.
Following allotment, successful applicants must acquire a TSR (three-seater auto rickshaw) and register on Convergence Energy Services Limited's (CESL) single-window site before April 30, according to the company.
If this does not happen, the letter of intent (LOI) will be considered forfeited and placed on the waiting list. Officials added that only persons with a valid PSV (public service vehicle) badge and LOI will be allowed to register e-autos.
To tackle air pollution in the city, the Delhi government is heavily encouraging electric vehicles. It had introduced a scheme for registering e-autos in October of last year, with lilac for female drivers and blue for male drivers.
On February 11, the Delhi administration was granted permission to resume the registration of 4,261 electric vehicles in the city by the Supreme Court.
The scheme had previously been delayed due to a challenge filed in court over the government's decision to allow electric cars to replace CNG cars within the one lakh limit set by the Supreme Court.
Officials added that of the 1,406 e-auto rickshaws set aside for women, 743 applicants are immediately eligible for the scheme and will be issued letters of intent, subject to deficiency removal in some circumstances.
They said it was decided to allow new applications for the remaining 663 reserved e-autos and organise a special lotteries to encourage women drivers.
If the remaining slots are not filled, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation would be given the LOI from the women's quota with authority to run these e-autos through an aggregator, with the additional condition that they be driven solely by women as part of last mile connectivity.
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