‘Allow EVs sans permits to ply as public transport’

In a letter to the principal secretaries and Transport Commissioners, the MoRTH joint secretary Abhay Damle asked the States to exempt EVs from availing permits to ply as transport vehicles and waiving the road tax to the maximum extent possible. The Ministry also sought a report on the action taken to promote the induction of EVs to be submitted by August 31.

Pointing to the Ministry’s notification dated October 18, 2018, which exempted electric vehicles from the requirements of passenger transport permit, he said that most of the States, however, have not implemented the notification and were still insisting for permits for EVs. “This act as a barrier against the proliferation of EVs in passenger transport segment. States are requested to operationalise the Ministry’s notification by registering electric vehicles for passenger mobility without imposing any permit requirement,” he said, adding that the public transport and shared mobility vehicles typically cover higher distances, their conversion into electric would bring considerably reduce the harmful emissions in cities.

Moreover, the MoRTH official said, the Department of Heavy Industries has notified the FAME II scheme to provide subsidies on EVs used as transport vehicles and several States have also waived the road tax on EVs, thereby reducing the cost of acquisition of these eco-friendly vehicles.

“To speed up the deployment of electric vehicles, it is necessary that adequate lucrative incentives are offered by the governments. States, which have not reduced or waived the road tax on EVs, may please consider waiving the road tax to the maximum possible extent on the electric vehicles so as to reduce the initial cost of the vehicle to the users,” he said.

Listing out various initiatives taken by the Ministry including green registration plates for the EVs and licence to drive e-scooters to those in the age group of 16-18 years, he said that States should create preferential policies for adoption of EVs through other incentives such as land allotment for charging infrastructure, mandating charging infrastructure in mails, housing societies and office complexes in addition to public parking places.