Delhi Minister Pankaj Singh Calls Chinese App-Linked E-Rickshaw Shutdowns Illegal

Amid complaints of e-rickshaws suddenly shutting down due to a Chinese app in Delhi NCR, Transport Minister Pankaj Singh has called the practice illegal and said the government is investigating while police could also take action.

In Delhi NCR, several e-rickshaw drivers have been reporting a strange and troubling problem over the past few days. They claim their vehicles suddenly switch off while on the road, forcing them to push the rickshaw by hand to get it out of traffic. Drivers allege that a Chinese app is behind these sudden shutdowns, remotely disabling their vehicles without warning. The disruption is hitting their earnings directly, since a vehicle that stops mid-ride means a lost fare and time lost getting it repaired or restarted. Several videos related to the issue have gone viral on social media, showing drivers pushing their rickshaws along the road. Amid the growing controversy, Delhi's Transport Minister Pankaj Singh has now responded to the matter.

Minister Pankaj Singh calls it illegal
After complaints emerged about e-rickshaws being shut down through a Chinese app, Transport Minister Pankaj Singh said the government is investigating the entire matter. He directly termed the practice illegal and said the police could also take action on their own. In his words, "We are aware of this matter that has come up on social media, and the government is investigating it. I think the police will also take action on this themselves, because doing this is illegal." This signals that the government does not intend to take the issue lightly and that those responsible could face legal action.

EV prices expected to fall further
During the same conversation, the Transport Minister also spoke about electric vehicles. He said that under the "Delhi Electric Vehicle Policy 2026," the government will encourage more people to switch to electric vehicles through incentives and other facilities. The minister said, "I think EV cars are now coming at lower prices too. We are giving incentives to scrap old vehicles and buy new ones. Gradually, as people start adopting EVs with longer range, competition among cars will increase and bring their prices down further." The statement makes clear that the government is banking on market competition to push EV prices lower over time.

What the new EV policy offers
The Delhi government has made some major announcements as part of its new EV policy. Under it, if a Delhi resident scraps their old vehicle and buys a new electric vehicle within 6 months, they can get a scrapping incentive of up to Rs 1 lakh. Besides this, the government has also announced that every electric car registered in the capital with an ex-showroom price of Rs 30 lakh or less will get a full exemption from road tax and registration fee. The government believes these steps will not only cut pollution but also make buying an electric vehicle easier and cheaper for ordinary people.

What this means for you
• Across India: Remotely disabling a vehicle through an app has been called illegal, so drivers facing similar issues can report the matter to the police.
• In Delhi: Residents who scrap an old vehicle and buy a new electric vehicle within 6 months can get a scrapping incentive of up to Rs 1 lakh, and electric cars priced up to Rs 30 lakh will get a full exemption from road tax and registration fee.

Questions & Answers

1. Why are e-rickshaws suddenly shutting down in Delhi?
Drivers claim a Chinese app is being used to suddenly disable their vehicles, after which they have to push the rickshaw by hand.

2. What did Transport Minister Pankaj Singh say about it?
He called the practice illegal and said the government is investigating the matter while the police could also take action on their own.

3. What has been announced under the Delhi Electric Vehicle Policy 2026?
It offers a scrapping incentive of up to Rs 1 lakh for scrapping an old vehicle and buying a new EV within 6 months, plus a full road tax and registration fee exemption for electric cars priced up to Rs 30 lakh.

4. What does the minister think about EV prices?
He said EV cars are already coming at lower prices, and as longer-range EVs are adopted, rising competition will push prices down further.

5. How did this issue come to light?
It came to attention after videos of e-rickshaw drivers' vehicles suddenly shutting down went viral on social media.

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