E-autos remain out of service as Rs. 30,000 subsidy per auto delayed in Kerala

The Ernakulam Jilla Auto Drivers' Cooperative Society displayed 30 of the 75 e-autos that would operate in feeder routes from Kochi Metro stations, at Ernakulam Town Hall on Thursday. Photo by H Vibhu. | Photo Credit: H Vibhu

A substantial number of e-autos, from among the 105 that were operating feeder trips from Kochi Metro stations, and were pulled out of service a year ago because of an alleged delay in getting the government subsidy of ₹30,000 per e-auto, continue to gather rust at different parking lots in the city.

Thirty of them were being operated by the Ernakulam Jilla Autorickshaw Drivers Cooperative Society (EJADCS), which had set apart ₹9 lakh as “working capital” to procure and operate them from metro stations.

“The four-year-long stalemate over getting the subsidy from the State government has created a ripple effect. The society had informed the firm concerned of the urgent need to source batteries for the autos, so that they could resume services. The continuing delay in disbursing the subsidy amount might affect their other components as well, causing further financial burden,” said Binu Varghese, an auto driver who is also one of the directors of the society.