mumbai

Updated: Jul 19, 2017 12:15 IST

Mumbaiites may soon be able to travel in zero-emission electric taxis and autos.

The Maharashtra government has given the nod to use battery-powered electric vehicles as black-and-yellow taxis and autorickshaws in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).

“Permit-holders can bring electric taxis or autorickshaws on city roads in MMR,” according to the rules to de-freeze permits issued by the government on Tuesday.

Zero-emission electric vehicles will reduce noise and air pollution to a large extent.

Read: Maharashtra first in India to get taxis that need to be charged, not refuelled

Currently, the MMR has 2.5 lakh autorickshaws and 50,000 taxis running on low-emission compressed natural gas or Liquified Petroleum Gas.

Maharashtra is probably the first state in the county which may introduce electric vehicles as app-based taxis.

Last May, the government allowed a private aggregator to get a fleet of electric taxis on roads.

The government has also allowed permit holders to register electric vehicles as black-and-yellow autos in Pune and Pimpari-Chinchwad cities. Electric taxis, however, not allowed in the twin cities.