Hyderabad: Govt relaxes norms, allows more green autos to ply inside ORR

The GHMC has decided to allow 20,000 new electric, and 10,000 each LPG and CNG autorickshaws within the Outer Ring Road to meet the growing population’s demand for autorickshaws

Hyderabad: Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar has announced a relaxation in an earlier provision that restricted permission for new autorickshaws inside the Outer Ring Road (ORR).

The GHMC has now issued orders allowing a limited number of electric, CNG, and LPG autorickshaws inside the ORR. This decision would help reduce pollution in the city, he said.

---

The population growth in Hyderabad and the coming up of new layouts and apartments inside the ORR has thrown up various challenges of urbanisation. Due to the enormous increase in population in the city, the demand for autorickshaw permits has increased.

Keeping these developments in mind, the government has considered it necessary to allow electric/LPG/CNG autorickshaws to control air and noise pollution and improve public transport in the city, Prabhakar said.

Accordingly, it was decided to allow 20,000 new electric, and 10,000 each LPG and CNG autorickshaws within the ORR. The government has issued permission for 25,000 vehicles to retrofit diesel and petrol vehicles and convert their engines into electric, CNG, LPG, he said.

The transfer of existing diesel and petrol autorickshaws or diesel, petrol new autorickshaws would not be allowed within ORR, a statement added.