The transport authority has permitted e-rickshaw trials on an experimental basis at Matheran hill station, a popular tourist spot in Maharashtra's Raigad district, where currently no motorised vehicles are allowed to ply.
An official from the Regional Transport Office (RTO) on Tuesday said the Supreme Court had earlier this year given a directive to conduct trials of e-rickshaws at the hill station, located 100 km from Mumbai, to check their feasibility.
"The one-time permission was granted by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Transport Authority (MMRTA) for conducting trials on an experimental basis as a special case. Badge-holder auto drivers will run these seven e-rickshaws," he said.
At present, no motorised vehicles, except ambulances, are allowed to ply at Matheran beyond Dasturi Point, the entry point on the hill station's plateau.
Beyond the Dasturi Point, tourists and locals have to rely on horses or dolis, apart from the famous narrow-gauge mini toy train between Neral and Matheran stations.
Because of the extensive damage to train tracks at several locations in the 2019 monsoon, the mini-train service is available only between Aman Lodge (near Dasturi) and Matheran.
