Private EVs, BS-6 cars in Delhi to be allowed as cabs: CM Gupta

Ride-hailing companies, officials said, have also agreed to launch shared taxi services and female-driven cabs within a month.

The Delhi government announced on Friday that it is working to pave the regulatory path that will allow privately owned electric and BS-VI compliant vehicles to operate as taxis in the Capital. Ride-hailing companies, officials said, have also agreed to launch shared taxi services and female-driven cabs within a month.

Delhi CM Rekha Gupta (HT Archive)

The decisions followed a high-level meeting chaired by chief minister Rekha Gupta with major automobile manufacturers and cab aggregators, including Ola, Uber, and Rapido. The talks focused on accelerating electric vehicle (EV) adoption and expanding shared mobility to reduce congestion and pollution.

According to a government statement, the companies expressed readiness to onboard private EVs and BS-VI cars as taxis, but noted this would require changes to existing transport regulations. Gupta assured them the government would amend the necessary rules in the coming days, while stressing that passenger safety measures must be strictly enforced.

The companies, the statement said, also “agreed to operate shared taxis and stated that within one month they would begin services for shared taxis and taxis driven by women drivers.”

“Sustainable pollution control in Delhi would not be possible without reducing traffic volume and shifting commuters towards shared and electric transport,” Gupta emphasized during the meeting, which included Transport Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh and senior officials.

The government sees allowing private EVs to operate as shared taxis as a key strategy to decrease the number of vehicles on the road. Gupta also suggested integrating e-rickshaws into aggregator platforms and exploring pilot projects for shuttle services along the Ring Road and to the airport.

Automakers present at the meeting, including Tata Motors, Mahindra, and Maruti Suzuki, highlighted the need for a robust public charging network and consumer-friendly policies to make a meaningful impact on air quality. In response, the CM offered government land for charging stations, but urged companies to explore solar power for charging operations.

Experts welcomed the move while cautioning that clear safeguards are essential.

Amit Bhatt of the International Council on Clean Transportation noted that several countries allow private vehicles on aggregator platforms. “Since aggregator vehicles travel far more than personal vehicles, the emissions benefits can be significant. However, this must be done with care, with clear rules on safety, insurance, liability, and platform accountability to protect passengers and regulatory integrity,” he added.

A Rapido spokesperson said the company proposed its peer-to-peer carpooling service, ‘Hopr’, as a scalable solution for reducing congestion and emissions in Delhi.