Delhi's Power Discoms Battle Illegal E-Rickshaw Charging Menace

Delhi's power discoms are contending with illegal e-rickshaw charging sites, causing an annual loss of Rs 120 crore and significant safety risks. Despite regulatory efforts, power theft remains rampant, with 60% of e-rickshaws involved. Discoms are implementing numerous measures, but large-scale theft persists, posing safety hazards and revenue losses.

Delhi's power distribution companies (discoms) are facing a substantial challenge from illegal e-rickshaw charging facilities, resulting in an estimated annual loss of Rs 120 crore, according to officials on Tuesday.

Out of the 1.6 lakh e-rickshaws in the city, only 50,000 are registered with the Transport Department. Efforts to curb this illegal activity include seizing and scrapping unregistered e-rickshaws. Previous attempts to combat this issue by the Power Department and discoms involved providing around 4,000 legal e-rickshaw charging connections, each capable of charging multiple vehicles.

The unauthorized charging stations are a significant safety hazard, with incidents of fires and electrocution being reported. Discom officials estimate that over 60% of e-rickshaws are involved in power theft, resulting in a daily loss of 15-20 MW. Illegal charging, often controlled by local strongmen, occurs at night on encroached lands using sub-standard batteries, posing severe safety risks.

(With inputs from agencies.)