The Delhi government will

The Delhi government has approved the replacement of the existing Gramin Sewa vehicles with electric vehicles to promote greener mobility. The current CNG-powered Gramin Seva vehicles are nearing the end of their 15-year lifespan and are deteriorating. In view of this, the government has decided to switch to electric vehicles. Sharing his views on this move, Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot said that replacing the old Gramin Sewa vehicles with electric vehicles is an important step in reducing air pollution. It aims to improve the transport experience of passengers and their overall quality of life through comfort and efficiency.

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Gramin Seva: A Brief Introduction

The Gramin Seva vehicles were launched in 2011 and can accommodate seven persons, including the driver. They run on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and are mainly operated in rural areas, JJ clusters and unauthorised and resettled colonies. Currently, Delhi has around 2,000 Gramin Sewa.

How to replace a Gramin Sewa vehicle with an electric vehicle

The government has framed a set of rules to replace Gramin Sewa vehicles with electric models.

Online Application: If you own a Gramin Sewa vehicle and want to buy a new electric car, you must first apply online. The process is done using an anonymous platform that uses Aadhaar for verification. If Aadhaar is not available, you can use your registration ID.

No Debt Certificate: The registrar will provide a No Debt Certificate (NDC) seven days after receiving the application. The registrar will verify the vehicle’s cleanliness with the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) database and look for any unpaid taxes, fines or pending legal issues on the vehicle. If any issues are found, the owner will be notified and will have seven days to resolve them.

Scrapping of old vehicles: Within 15 days of obtaining the NDC, the vehicle needs to be delivered to an approved scrapyard. Once the vehicle is scrapped, a Certificate of Deposit (COD) will be issued to the owner.

Buying a New Electric Vehicle: Owners can buy a brand new six-seater electric Gramin Sewa vehicle from any authorized dealer with NDC and COD.

New car registration: Car owners will need to submit a vehicle registration application after purchasing the vehicle. This process will also be done through an anonymous platform and will require NDC, COD, Aadhaar, tax invoice and other documents.

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License renewal: Under the Gramin Sewa scheme, the registration authority will update the vehicle registration after verifying all the information. The new vehicle will be allowed to use the same routes as the previous vehicle.