E-rickshaws ply on Bhopal roads without fitness certificate:Drivers face a strange dilemma as Vahan portal asks for PUC doc

The public transport system in Bhopal has weakened significantly, forcing a large number of commuters to depend on e-rickshaws despite serious concerns over vehicle fitness and safety. At one point, 368 low-floor buses operated across 24 city routes, transporting more than 1.5 lakh passengers daily. Currently, only around 60 low-floor buses remain operational, serving nearly 30,000 commuters. As a result, nearly one lakh passengers now rely on around 9,000 e-rickshaws every day, while another 20,000 commuters depend on cabs and auto-rickshaws. However, officials admit that most of these e-rickshaws are operating without proper fitness checks, and traffic police do not routinely inspect their roadworthiness. E-rickshaw owners unable to obtain fitness certificates An investigation by DB Star found that several e-rickshaw owners have attempted to obtain fitness certificates for their vehicles but faced procedural hurdles. Drivers who approached Automated Testing Stations (ATS) for fitness checks were reportedly redirected to the Regional Transport Office (RTO). Although RTO officials agreed to process the applications, the online “Vahan 4” portal demanded a Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate — a document that does not exist for electric vehicles. Since e-vehicles do not emit smoke or exhaust, PUC certificates are not issued for them. As a result, fitness certificates for e-rickshaws cannot currently be generated through the portal. Traffic police only verify registration and driving licence Traffic police officials stated that there is no specific provision for checking e-rickshaw fitness on roads. Instead, enforcement officers generally verify only vehicle registration documents and the driver’s licence during inspections. Officials explained that e-vehicles receive company-certified fitness approval at the time of registration and, unlike conventional commercial vehicles, there has been no effective mechanism to ensure periodic fitness renewal every two years. Many vehicles over 8 years old According to traffic police estimates, more than 11,000 e-rickshaws are currently operating across the city. Of these, over 9,000 are used for passenger transport, while nearly 2,000 are deployed as cargo or loading vehicles. Authorities acknowledge that many passenger e-rickshaws are now eight to ten years old and in severely deteriorated condition, raising concerns about commuter safety. RTO says portal upgrade underway Speaking on the issue, Jitendra Sharma said commercial e-vehicles used for passenger and loading operations are legally required to undergo fitness tests every two years. However, the “Vahan 4” portal currently lacks an option to process fitness certification for e-vehicles without a PUC certificate. “This issue has been brought to the notice of senior officials. Necessary modifications are being made to the portal,” Sharma said.