Let e-autos ply in Matheran: Maharashtra tourism department writes to the forest dept

Nearly a month after mid-day reported on activists demanding e-rickshaws in Matheran, as the hill station is facing challenges after discontinuation of the toy train, the state tourism and cultural affairs department has written to the revenue and forest department to amend the law and permit use of e-rickshaws

After the toy train was stopped last year, tourists have to travel on hand-pulled carts, horseback or walk to reach the place. Representation pic

Nearly a month after mid-day reported on activists demanding e-rickshaws in Matheran, as the hill station is facing challenges after discontinuation of the toy train, the state tourism and cultural affairs department has written to the revenue and forest department to amend the law and permit use of e-rickshaws.

The letter
The letter (of which mid-day has a copy) was sent on January 13, states that the Shramik Rickshaw Chalak-Malak Sanstha from Matheran wrote to the department about making changes in the existing law. The department has stated that necessary changes in the Matheran Rules, 1959, should be done and a proposal should be sent to the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) for approval. The Urban Development Department has also initiated measures related to the same issue.

The state revenue department had made the set of rules and orders to guide lease-holders, visitors and others. As per the Rule 43, vehicles are not permitted in Matheran.

Sanghatan says
Speaking to mid-day, Sunil Shinde from the Shramik Rickshaw Sanghatana of Matheran said, “We have been following up on the issue for many years and expect that the necessary changes are made in the law so that e-rickshaws can be started. Now that the tourism and cultural affairs department has written to the revenue and forest department, we expect that the proposal is sent to the MoEF at the earliest for approval.”

In mid-day’s December 15 report, ‘Activists push for e-rickshaws at Matheran,’ it was stated how green activists have started demanding that the government expedite the process of introducing battery-operated vehicles or e-rickshaws to ferry passengers. Activists and locals had raised the issue as the discontinuation of the toy train in May last year had left tourists with hand-pulled carts, walking on foot or on horseback to reach the hill station.

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